Stars of Promise
by sodapoppana
Summary: Childhood stories of Fíli and Kíli and how Thorin came to affect more on their lives. Or perhaps the other way around. There will be some fighting, bed-wetting, making ups and death.
1. The Shining Morning Star

**A/N: Firstly, this was not supposed to be so long and secondly, I have no idea where those wolves came from. So this one is actually mostly (or entirely) about Thorin. I promise there will be more of Fíli (and Kíli) in the later chapters.**

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**The Shining Morning Star**

Thorin Oakenshield, the king under the mountain, that's what they called him. That's what he was, though he had no mountain. But that was going to come to change; he would take their home back one day, he had faith in that.

Thorin worked hard to ensure his people's wellbeing and to earn back some of the gold and riches they had lost. He made a home for his folk. But when he wasn't working and he could have relaxed and have a drink, he rather stayed in his room examining the maps and planning the journey. He had no idea when he would take this quest or even how he could slay the dragon they had failed to kill with their great army. Still, he was determined.

Most of the time, Thorin lived in the past, thinking about what was lost. So when the news of his sister being in labor came in the middle of the night, he was more than surprised. He had only a faint memory of hearing she was even pregnant.

The dwarf that came to inform Thorin probably waited a different kind of reaction than a nod and thank you, since she looked slightly disappointed. What was he supposed to do? Run through the halls screaming from the joy? No, this didn't really concern him. Sure he was happy for Dís, but that was all he felt, this baby wouldn't affect his life in anyway.

Thorin continued his grieving of Erebor and fallen comrades, since he knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep anymore. Memories from the battle of Azanulbizar flowed into his mind. That day had been even harder for him than Smaug's attack on the Lonely Mountain. There east of Moria, near Mirrormere he had lost something more precious than a home, he had lost his brother.

He let his mind go back on the days when they were still young and he had gotten Frerin in thousands of troubles, but in the end always saved him from them. The same had worked the other way around. They had been really close and Thorin still blamed himself for letting his younger brother die in the hands of orcs.

Suddenly someone knocked Thorin's door waking him from his thoughts. He shaped himself up on his chair and told the knocker to come in. It was the same dwarf woman than the last time.

"My lord, lady Dís has asked to see you." The tone the dwarf used gave no room for arguing. Dís had probably been very strict on the fact that her brother had to come to her.

Sighing Thorin got up and followed the dwarf woman. He would have known the way by himself, but she apparently was going to make sure Thorin would get to Dís. Like he was some dwarfling who would run off on the first chance he got.

It was just the break of day and first sunbeams could probably be seen outside. The passageways they walked through were mostly empty, only couple of dwarves passed them arms full of clean sheets and towels. Though this living area was for Durin's heirs, there usually visited lots of dwarves during the day, therefore this quietness was something rare and Thorin really enjoyed it.

Finally they got to his sister's door. The dwarf woman knocked the door and informed Thorin before he could step in. Dís' room was dark; the only source of light was the candle on her nightstand. She was sitting on the bed two big pillows behind her back and she held a little bundle on her arms. Her dark hair was pressed against her head from the sweat, but all the same she had the brightest smile on her face.

"You wished to see me sister", Thorin said politely. While he might be the king, Dís was the princess and his little sister and she knew how to be stubborn. That's why Thorin usually just played along and did what she wanted, at least when they were these sort of small things.

Dís raised her gaze from the little one to look at Thorin, but her eyes returned soon back to the bundle. "Yes. I actually hoped you would come to visit me instead of me having to tell someone to get you here." He didn't as much as look apologetic or regretting.

"Here", Dís said and held out the baby for him. "Your nephew."

Thorin hesitated and gave a suspicious look before taking the child. Carefully he opened slightly the cloth the baby was wrapped in. He had bright blue eyes like most of the newborns had – but there was something more in them – and golden hair that shined on the candle's light covered the top of his head. On that moment something changed in Thorin's heart, he just didn't notice it himself yet.

Thorin cleared his throat before taking his eyes off of the child and turning them on his sister. Now he knew why Dís had kept staring at the baby, he had quite mesmerizing gaze. "He's very beautiful", Thorin praised like he was talking about someone's cattle and gave the baby back to his mother. "Your husband isn't here?"

"Nár is getting me something to eat. He should be back soon."

Nár was one of the most hard-working dwarves Thorin knew, but somehow he always found enough time to coddle his wife. When the time would come, besides Balin and Dwalin, Nár was one of the certain choices Thorin would take with him on to reclaim their homeland.

There was a soft knock on the door and Nár came in with a tray full of food. There was a cup of hot vegetable soap with meat lumps in it, just baked bun and a big slice of cheese, a glass of fresh water and a syrup cake. The golden haired dwarf gave a respectful bow with his head as he noticed the king.

"Thorin, I wondered if you were here. There has been another sight of wolves at the foot of the mountain. Frár and Hannar were looking for you, they're in the counsel hall. I'll come right behind you, I'll just-"

"No, you should stay with your wife and son", Thorin interrupted and gave a quick pat on the other dwarf's shoulder. Nár looked at him with anxiety in his brown eyes, but said nothing.

Thorin was already out of the room and had taken few strides when Dís yelled after him. "His name is Fíli by the way. Just so you know." Only Thorin's thoughts were already in the wolves and the name slipped fast out of his mind.

With long steps Thorin was soon in the counsel hall were the others were waiting for him. There were six other dwarves besides Frár and Hannar. They all had weapons with them, Thorin could see swords and axes, warhammers and maces, and they all had armors on them. Dwarves were fierce folk and right now, this was as near as they could get fighting.

Hannar gave a quick report of what had happened. Apparently couple of little dwarflings had been outside playing when suddenly three wolves had appeared and started to corner them. Luckily Hannar had been nearby and heard the screams. No one was hurt, but if there was a pack of wolves that was brave enough to come so near, then that would be a problem.

Usually wolves moved at dusk, so they would go hunt them down just when the sun was setting. Thorin could see many disappointed looks on his fellow dwarves' faces; they had hoped to go on a hunt immediately. Most of them were still young and had never been in a real battle. They were still not born when they left Erebor and had been too young to take part in the battle of Azanulbizar.

It didn't take long to make their plan so Thorin was left a lot of time to look back. Just for once he didn't feel like doing so, this time he wanted to forget. Instead of heading to his room, he let his legs take him where ever they wanted. Soon he found himself from the dining room a tankard of ale in his hand, listening the chattering dwarves. He didn't actually concentrate on the words, but let them just go past him.

Surprisingly time flew faster this way than when Thorin had fallen into his own thoughts. It felt like he had just sat down when he already had to get up and eat something hastily, before getting his stuff and meeting everyone in the outer hall.

"Are all here?" Thorin asked as he made the headcount. Frár nodded and they were about to leave when the one last dwarf accompanied them. It was Nár. Thorin said nothing until they were outside and no one else could hear him, for he did not want to shame his brother-in-law.

"I thought I told you to stay with Dís."

"Aye."

"And?" Thorin asked waiting an explanation.

"I didn't."

Perhaps Dís' stubbornness was contagious and Nár had caught it or he really needed some time outside. Whatever the reason was, Thorin only gave a nod and let Nár come with them. He respected the gold haired dwarf's resolution.

After they had gotten on the edge of the forest, they divided into two groups of three and one group of four. Thorin, Hannar and Frár were the group leaders, for they were the most experienced and older than the others. They went through the plan and each group left on to agreed path.

Thorin led his two companions – Náli and Lóni – into woods. Both of them were still young, barely even in their sixties. He would have preferred Dwalin by his side, no matter how petite this mission seemed, but he and Balin were on a journey to visit the Iron Hills with some other dwarves.

It was already twilight and of course it had to be a cloudy night. It was getting harder to see clearly in front of oneself. They had to be quick, otherwise the advantage would go to their prey and they would become hunted. Luckily at least the wind was nonexistent; the wolves wouldn't smell their scent too soon. If it had been winter and there were snow the tracking would had though been easier, but it was already midsummer.

They were nearing the place they had figured to be the pack's den. Thorin gave a warning sign to the two younger one so they wouldn't make any sudden moves or noise that would give them in. They readied their weapons and Thorin was about to take couple more steps forward, when he heard a cry. It came from the southeast about fifty yards away from them.

"It was Lit!" Náli yelled and rushed towards the voice. Thorin tried to stop him from running straight into a situation he knew nothing about, but his words rang to deaf ears and Lóni's back joined shortly his brother's. Thorin muttered something about reckless dwarflings and ran after the two.

The scene waiting them was shocking. They had thought they'd find a pack of six or seven wolves, but there were at least fifteen of them. Two dwarves were down and two others fighting against the wolves surrounding them.

Thorin swayed his sword and took the nearest wolf by surprise. Náli and Lóni came right after him swinging their axes. The wolves weren't actually very hard opponents – Thorin had killed many stronger ones – but there were more of them and the clouds in the sky had gotten darker making it almost impossible to see anything.

"Light the torches!" A yell came from Thorin's left side and soon there were three flames. It was Frár with his companions. They joined the fight and used their weapons fiercely.

The dwarves cut the heads and pierced the chests of the wolves. It was all over very quickly. Thorin examined the dead pack and shortly understood why it had come so close to their living area, the wolves were starving. He could clearly see how the ribs stick out of their sides, no wonder they were rather easy opponents.

"Thorin", Frár called him, "Lit and Nár are wounded, and Hannar…"

The pain in the older dwarf's eyes told what mouth could not speak, he and Hannar had been old friends. Thorin turned to face the others and saw Flói holding Hannar's – his father's – limp body. Náli and Lóni were supporting their cousin and the rest of them were just standing there and looking at him expecting.

"This was not the wolves' den. We must find it and kill the rest of the pack, if there is any left. Frár, Nithi and Jári will come with me, the rest of you go back."

There was no arguing with his orders. They lit more torches and split them with each other. Nár – whose wounds were neither deep nor critical – started to lead the others back to the mountains as Thorin and his companions began to search for any traces of the den.

It didn't take long for Nithi to find the tracks of the wolves they started to follow. The trail went to the direction where Thorin had come from with two young brothers.

As they waded in the undergrowth, the sky opened and dropped the cold drizzle on them. The drops first came slow and far apart but their pace fastened minute by minute. If they weren't fast, they would not only get soaked, but also lose the tracks. Thorin hurried the other three.

Twenty minutes later the weather was still getting worse and Thorin was about to tell the others they would give up and go back home, but that's when he heard something. A silent yip. There was no telling what animal had let out the noise, but there was a big chance it to be a wolf.

Thorin put his finger in front of his mouth to tell others be quiet. Slowly they approached the source of the yip, half surrounding it. They only had one torch lit anymore – somehow it had been preserved from the rain. Jári kept it low so the light wouldn't scare the animals before it was too late.

Weapons exposed they jumped from behind the trees to a little open area. First they saw nothing, but soon noticed a hole in the ground. They had found the den.

There were no adult wolves to be seen, but the repeating yip told that there were puppies in the nest. The younger dwarves watched for their backs as Thorin and Frár crouched and started to thrust their swords in the hole, doing the dirty job. Thorin felt no pity as he heard the noises the scared puppies and the ones hit let out. They would grow up to be killers and that was not what they needed in the Blue Mountains. Not that the puppies would had survived long without their pack.

After the job was done, Thorin stuck his sword into the ground, cleaning it from the blood and finally sheathed it. They only had one torch, so only one could effectively go search surroundings. Thorin decided that the one would be him, though Frár gave a little protestation. Others would wait him at the den.

The rain had gone back to the drizzle, but it had left them wet and the wind didn't feel particularly warm. Thorin shivered from the cold as he searched for any trace of still alive wolves. Suddenly he didn't have to look for the tracks anymore, for two wolves, an adult and a puppy, walked straight at him. Thorin wasn't given time as much as to touch his sword – mentally he cursed himself for not keeping it unsheathed – when the grown-up wolf had already knocked him over and was now growling at him, teeth exposed.

Thorin tried to stay as still as he could as the wolf kept its front legs on him and sniffed. He thought many ways how to get his knife from his boot and into that beast's skull, but none of them worked even in his head. Then he realized he was still alive – obviously – the wolf hadn't killed him.

Thorin turned his head a little so he was able to look in the eyes of the animal on top of him. If Thorin had believed that animals could express feelings with just their eyes, he would have said this one was giving him a sad gaze. And then it suddenly jumped on and ran into the woods the puppy following it.

Slowly Thorin got up from the muddy ground and looked after the wolves, but saw no trace of them anymore. He was afraid he would come to regret his resolution, but he decided to let the animals go and not tell anyone about them. It wasn't likely they would stay in these woods.

His muddy clothes Thorin explained by slipping down. No one suspected anything – Thorin if someone would not tell these kinds of lies – so they left back to the mountains.

They were in front of the main door when Jári suddenly tugged Thorin's sleeve making him stop. The king turned to the young dwarf the question in his eyes, but he kept staring his feet until the other two were far enough not to hear them.

"It was my fault what happened to Hannar", the young dwarf said quietly, "I wasn't careful enough and because of that the wolves noticed us before we saw them. Everything happened so fast, Hannar was trying to pull me away from the beasts and the next thing I knew, he was on the ground staring at me with eyes no life in them. Then Lit was lying there too and I thought he…"

Jári's voice broke and tears filled his eyes. His shoulders were shaking between the silent sobs. Thorin wasn't quite sure how to comfort this young dwarf he knew not all so well. So he just said what first came into his mind and surprisingly enough, those seemed to be the right words.

"You can't blame yourself. He had seen many fights and he quite sure knew what he was doing. He died for you, so you could live. I do not tell you not to grieve, but remember, this life isn't only for you anymore. So value the life you are given."

With those words, Jári's eyes had gained a new hope and determination. The two of them went inside to warm and meet the others. Nár and Lit's wounds had been treated and everyone had changed to dry clothes. Soon the rest of them were placed hot mugs on their hands and blankets on their shoulders.

After some drying up and getting warm again, Nár almost dragged Thorin with him towards to Dís´ room, reasoning Dís to want to see they were both okay. Thorin guessed that Nár was actually a bit afraid of his wife's reaction about him going on to a mission without telling her (Thorin was sure Dís had known nothing about Nár leaving with him). His sister would not likely be pleased. And he was right.

Someone had though told Dís already where her husband had been, for she was waiting for them arms crossed and foot tapping on the floor. Thorin hated that look on her face.

"Thorin Oakenshield!" And that tone. "Why did you let him go along? You knew about Fíli! What if he had lost his father on the same day he was born? What if it had been Nár instead of Hannar?"

Thorin didn't have time to answer to his sister for Nár cut in clearly infuriated of the way Dís talked about Hannar. Thorin knew Dís had not meant to violate the death one's memory, she was just worried. And angry.

"Shut up woman! That decision was mine to make! I felt like going with them and you have no right to complain about that!"

As the tones turned more heated and louder the baby on his cradle woke up, but his parents didn't seem to notice him. Right now there was only this fight for them. They were still pretty young couple for being married about two years now, so these kinds of fights between them were not unheard.

"No right? Who do you think you are talking to? I am your wife and I have all the rights to argue about your poor decisions!"

Thorin walked to the crying baby and took him in his arms. He didn't know much about raising children, but listening to this yelling could not do any good.

"Poor decisions? Do you have any idea what-"

Rest of the argument didn't reach Thorin's ears; he had closed the door and was now walking away from it. He wasn't sure where to go with the baby, somewhere quiet he supposed. His working room would probably do fine and that's where he headed.

The baby did not stop crying even when they got into Thorin's room. The dwarf king was helpless with the weeping child. He swayed the bundle from one side to another, he tried singing and humming, little bit of bouncing and patting on the back, but none seemed to work. Maybe he was hungry? But Thorin had nothing to offer him.

Finally he sat down and just looked at the little red face. Gently he rubbed the unstopping tears from round cheeks and hushed with a low voice.

"There's nothing to cry really, you know. You are safe here with me, with your…" That was probably really the first time Thorin realized he was an uncle and he had a nephew. "Yes, with your uncle. Fíli. That's what your mother called you, wasn't it?"

And with his name spoken, he stopped crying. Curiously Fíli looked up at his uncle, perhaps not actually being capable to focus on the face in front of him, but Thorin felt like he understood him. Then Fíli grabbed the finger that was still on his cheek, put it in his mouth and started to chew.

Thorin smiled gently as he looked his nephew's eyes starting to close and the boy finally falling back asleep, his finger still in a tight grip.

"Good night Fíli", he whispered.


	2. The Blazing Evening Star

**A/N: As promised, here is more of Fíli. I hope he didn't come out as too precocious and I also wish there's not too much mistakes (I'm not on my brightest at this hour).**** This chapter came quite quickly, so the next one will probably take a bit longer. Especially when I'm not even sure where to start with it.**

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**The Blazing Evening Star**

Fíli was most bored. There weren't many dwarflings same age as him in the Blue Mountains and adults didn't have much time to play with him. Not that they usually were all that good at games. So he was forced to sit alone in his room and play solely with his toys.

Not even his new goblin and dwarf warrior figures were enough to catch his interest today. He wanted to do something unusual, especially now that it seemed that his mother wasn't around scolding him. Fíli had seen her last time when they were having breakfast, which was long time ago, at least to him.

As he thought about breakfast, he felt his tummy grumble. Without giving a second thought, he stood up, left his room and toys and headed to the kitchen. Surprisingly he saw no one on the hallways or in kitchen. And worst of all, there was no food.

Fíli puckered up his lips thoughtfully. If there was no food, then he should make some and not only for himself, would he do so much that there'd be enough for mama, papa and uncle Thorin. First he thought that he would make that yummy meat stew mama always did, but soon realized he had no idea how to and the cauldron was way too heavy for him to lift it.

A whole lot of other opinions ran through his mind, but finally he settled with buns. He had once or twice helped making them, so it would be a piece of cake. _Maybe cake would be better_, he gave a little thought.

The biggest problem was that Fíli was only five years old, so he could just barely see on the kitchen levels. Luckily there was a stool he could use, but whenever he needed something from the lower cabinets, he had to jump down and when it was the opposite and he had to reach the higher cabinets, he was forced to climb on the table. Not that he complained.

He searched for everything he remembered to be needed. Eggs, flour, butter. Someone had even left some goat milk on the table. Carefully he cracked five eggs on a big bowl, threw couple cups of flour with them, a big lump of butter, all the milk, white powder he didn't even know what it was but it actually tasted quite horrible (he had seen his mother using it often) and two big spoons of honey (one went into his own mouth).

Luckily there was still fire in the oven. Fíli tried to put more logs so the fire would get bigger, but he only managed to burn his fingers. He put the buns he had rolled from the dough in. They weren't quite round, but he accepted that for it was the first time he was making them alone.

Fíli kept a sharp eye on his buns so they wouldn't get burned. When they looked fine to him, he took them out. Happily he left the kitchen look like a troll had visited there, and went to give the buns to the ones he had made them for.

He wandered in the halls of the Blue Mountains, but could not find anyone he was searching for. The dinner time was nearing so Fíli decided he would take the buns to the table and place them on the plates in front of the seats his parents and uncle usually took. But right when he was putting the first bun on a plate he heard a harrumph behind him.

"What are you doing lad?"

Looking guilty (he was not quite sure why he felt guilty; he didn't think he had done anything wrong) Fíli hid the rest of the buns behind his back as he turned to face the dwarf behind him. It was Dwalin.

"Nothing", the young dwarf answered avoiding the eyes of the older one.

"Is that so? Then you don't mind showing me what you have there behind your back, now do you?"

Fíli gulped. He tried hard to figure out a way to get out of this situation, but nothing came into his mind. Fortunately that's when Thorin came to them and Dwalin's focus was moved from the dwarfling to the king. Fíli used this opportunity to hide from the tattooed dwarf.

The dining hall was filling up with dwarves, but Fíli couldn't see his parents anywhere. Thorin sat on his usual place and eyed the bun Fíli had dropped on his plate when Dwalin had startled him. The little dwarf tried to see his uncle's reaction, but it was a bit hard from the under the table where Fíli had hid himself. Hearing on the other hand was more than easy, particularly when Thorin didn't even bother to lower his voice.

"What _is_ this?" Fíli could hear Thorin spitting something out of his mouth. "Tastes terrible. Who made this?"

The young golden haired dwarf crawled from the under the table. He opened his mouth as to say something to his uncle, but nothing came out. Thorin stared at him surprised and as he saw the buns in Fíli's hands the realization could be seen from his face. Fíli felt embarrassed, he didn't want to hear what more his uncle had to say, so he took off and ran out of the dining hall as fast as he could. Thorin yelled after him, but he did not stop.

When Fíli was sure he was far enough, he slowed down and continued his way by walking. He kept telling himself that he wouldn't cry, but hot tears filled his eyes. His buns couldn't be that bad. Wondering Fíli bit a piece of the other bun he still had with him and as soon it had touched his tongue, he spit it out. It wasn't just terrible, Fíli had only heard stories about trolls, but he was sure the bun tasted just like an old fat troll's foot sweat.

Disappointment filled his little mind, he had failed completely. Angrily Fíli threw the buns as far as he could and sat down right there in the middle of the hallway, arms wrapped around his legs and chin leaning on his knees. He wouldn't move an inch from here.

Fíli hadn't actually run very far in a grown-up dwarf's scale, so Thorin found him quite easily. Fíli kept staring at the wall in front of him even when his uncle sat next to him. They were both quiet for a while until the older one cleared his throat and tried to deal with his mistake.

"I am sorry, Fíli. I had no idea you had made it. If I had I…"

"Would have lied?" That's what adults always did. Lied to children, told that they liked the things the kids had made, even when they had no idea what it was.

Silence fell again on them. Fíli started to feel a bit uncomfortable (definitely not as much as Thorin did though); his uncle never really spent much time with him being so busy with work and stuff. And every time he did speak to him, he did it in a very awkward way. So Fíli didn't really know his uncle and Thorin didn't know much about his nephew.

Suddenly without any warning Thorin raised his hand, something in it, to his mouth. It was Fíli's bun, Thorin still had it. And he ate it, face on a deadpan. Not even once did Thorin gag or show any other way that he was eating something disgusting.

"See, it wasn't that bad. Just a bit… different", Thorin said after eating the bun. That's when Fíli fell on the floor giggling. He couldn't believe his uncle really had eaten it! "What's so funny?"

It took a while until Fíli could speak again. When he did he found the situation not so funny anymore. "Thank you. But I know how it tasted now. I couldn't eat it."

Thorin looked at his young nephew a moment before he rose up and fluttered his coat a bit. Then he reached his hand and lifted the smaller one on his feet.

"Is that so? You could have told before I ate it. Shall we go to look for something more filling to eat?"

Fíli gave a nod and followed his uncle back in the dining hall. The young dwarf hadn't even realized how hungry he was before he took the first bite of the fried pig. After they had eaten, Fíli dragged his uncle into his room and tried to play with him. Just Thorin wasn't very good playing company. Every time Fíli gave one of his toys into Thorin's hands, his uncle praised how nice it was and after a while put it back into the toy box. And every time Fíli frowned at him.

The evening was already starting to fall when Fíli started to get tired and he noticed that something was still missing.

"Where are mama and papa?" He asked after a big yawn.

Thorin went silent and shook his head as to tell he had no idea. Fíli wasn't quite sure if Thorin was telling the truth, but it didn't matter. If they didn't know where his parents were, they would have to find them. Thorin didn't agree with the young one's plan but all the same he kept following Fíli as he searched for the missing persons.

When, after searching from many places, they were walking the hallway where Fíli's parents' bedroom was, a sudden cry seized Fíli. It had been mama's voice. Worriedly he turned to look at his uncle, who had a thoughtful frown on his face, but when he didn't seem to do anything, decided Fíli that it was up to him to help his mother.

Fíli started running towards his mother's room, but before he got there, he was snatched from the floor with strong arms.

"You can't go there", Thorin said as he tried to fight against the struggling dwarfling.

"Why? She's hurt, I need to help her! Let go! Stupid uncle!"

One kick hit Thorin in the jaw, but he did not let go, no matter how hard Fíli that demanded.

"Calm down Fíli. Listen to me." And surprisingly he stopped the fight and looked at Thorin waiting. The reason his uncle didn't let him go had better be a good one. "Your mother is giving a birth there. It shouldn't take much longer anymore and when she is done, you can go in. She'll be okay, trust me."

Fíli gave one suspicious look at his uncle before nodding. He had no idea what a birth was and who she was giving it to, but if Thorin said she was okay, then he would believe him. Though as the new cry was heard, Fíli little doubted if this was another of those things adults lied about.

Thorin led Fíli further from the door, so they didn't need to hear the cries. He suggested if they went back to Fíli's room, but the young one wasn't agreeable with that.

It was a late evening and Fíli was getting drowsy, when finally someone came to tell them that mama was done with the 'giving birth'. All the drowsiness left Fíli's little body as he jumped from the chair he had been dozing on and rushed to his mother's room, leaving his uncle no other choice but to run after him.

"Mama!" was the first thing he yelled when he saw his mother. She was okay, Thorin hadn't lied. His mother was lying on her bed looking really tired and papa was standing next to her. Fíli was happy to see his father was okay, he had been a lot of sick lately and Fíli found it really boring, for he wasn't allowed to go to see him then.

Fíli tried to jump on the bed, but his father caught him before him doing so. "Carefully little one", he chuckled. "Your mother is still exhausted and you have to be cautious with our new bundle."

_A new bundle?_ His father placed him next to mama and then Fíli noticed that she had something on her arms. A little cloth bundle it seemed. He crawled closer to see what was so great about it, and gave a gasp. There was a tiny face!

"It's a little dwarf! Where did you get it?" Fíli asked astonished.

"Sweetie, this is your little brother", his mother said laughing, "say hi to him."

Fíli frowned as he looked at the baby. He didn't know that this was how little brothers looked like. Fairly ugly to be honest, wrinkled and red faced, he almost looked like some of those really old dwarves. "What should I call him?"

"Kíli", his father answered and sat next to him. _Kíli_, Fíli repeated in his mind tasting the name. He liked it, simple and easy to remember. "Reminds of his older brother's name, doesn't it?" Papa added winking his eye to Fíli.

_That's_ why it sounded familiar. And papa had realized it immediately! Then he turned back to his new brother, who was now staring at him with little brown eyes. Everything in him was so tiny!

"Hello Kíli. My name's Fíli and I am your big brother. That means…" Fíli turned confused to his parents. What did it mean to be a big brother? They both smiled at him and told that he would find it out in time.

"Fine", he said with a little pout and changed the subject, "can he play with me? Uncle Thorin is not a very good playmate." Fíli turned to see Thorin, but he wasn't there. He hadn't even noticed when his uncle had left the room.

"Of course he can, but you will have to wait for him to grow up a little. He's still too young to play. For now he needs lots and lots of care", his mother answered to her impatient son. Fíli wondered how long it would take for his brother to grow up enough. Not more than couple of days, he decided. The disappointment was rather big, when he learned they were actually talking about years.

Fíli kept staring at his little brother whom mama had placed to lie next to him. Kíli's little fists twitched in his sleep and mouth moved like he was trying to say something. Carefully Fíli stroke his brother's cheek with his fingers. His eyes were starting to fall down and soon he too was asleep. Fíli spent Kíli's very first night right there beside him.

* * *

The place where Thorin had earlier disappeared to was actually the outhouse. And that is where he also spent most of the night. The reason for it was revealed on the next day when Dís found the perdition in her kitchen. The milk Fíli had used to make his buns had already gone bad. Luckily Thorin was the only one who had been foolish enough to eat them. Though after that incident he swore he would never again eat anything made by his nephew.


	3. Of Irritation and Siblings

**A/N: Finally I got this finished! Of course I was in the middle of writing the chapter which was meant to be the third one, when I got the idea for this one. And now I have to rewrite what I already had written. Oh well. I should have time since it's winter vacation (so it all depends on the inspiration).**

* * *

**Of Irritation and Siblings**

Kíli had learned to walk three weeks ago and already he had made so much destruction. If something was lopping from the table, just enough for little dwarf to reach it, it most certainly was soon on the floor and broken if it was breakable. If not, then it would probably just never been seen again. Where Kíli hid them, no one knew. Dís had searched their entire quarter many times, but it seemed she'd have to accept that she would never see her favorite tablecloths again.

But the one, who was most annoyed of the walking disaster, was no one else but the older brother. Kíli followed Fíli everywhere. It didn't matter if Fíli ran off and hid himself somewhere, his brother always found him. It had been close that he hadn't tied up the little one and left him in a storage room. Luckily Dís had found them before the tying up.

As if this wasn't enough to stress her up, Nár had fallen sick again. He had had a fever just two weeks ago and now flu. It didn't seem to be anything serious, but Nár wasn't a dwarf who much enjoyed doing nothing but lying on the bed. And that's exactly what Dís forced him to do. She didn't want her husband to get sicker or infect anyone else, though his illnesses never seemed to be contagious.

Dís was trying to bake some fresh bread and brew tea, but her sons were disturbing her doings constantly. Either Kíli was about to do something that was a big no-no, like climbing on a chair or grabbing the things he wasn't supposed to touch, or then Fíli was trying to take tasting from the dough or was complaining about his brother.

"When are you taking him back?" Fíli asked annoyed and ran around his mother, avoiding Kíli who fumbling tried to reach him.

"Back where?" Dís made a counterquestion trying not to trip on her sons.

"Back where he came from. I don't want him anymore, it's someone else's turn to have him as a little brother."

Dís looked at her older son surprised. He had this serious look on his face he had definitely gotten from his father (Dís would never admit that the expression was actually her heritage). "Honey, he came here to stay and he will always be your younger brother, no matter what." Fíli gave an unwilling grimace to tell that he didn't like the idea. Dís made almost identical grimace inwardly. "Don't give me that look. He follows you because he likes you."

"But I don't like him!" And to prove his words, Fíli showed his tongue to Kíli, who just laughed and reached his hands towards his brother. Dís didn't really have time to this and her nerves were already on the edge.

"Well you'd better start to, he's not going to stop it, whether you like it or not!" she yelled and slammed the kettle she just had took from the fire, on the table.

There was no whining or laughing after that. It was not unusual for Dís to snap at her sons, but she never yelled at them with this kind of tone. There were so many emotions mixed in it, tiredness, sadness, anger (though not toward her sons), and on the top of them all, desperation.

Fíli and Kíli stood still, too afraid to even make a sound. Maybe they hoped their mother would say something comforting and tell them she was sorry and didn't mean to shout at them, but she said nothing. She continued her doings not giving another look at her sons. Finally the boys left the kitchen still not quite sure what they had done wrong.

* * *

Thorin had been working in the forges of the Blue Mountains for two days now. He was planning to leave to a human town again after couple more days, but now that his sister's husband was sick again, he wasn't sure if he maybe should stay after all. Not that Dís had asked him to do so, or ever would. She was too pride to ask help from anyone and Thorin wasn't sure if this matter actually concerned him.

Suddenly Flói woke Thorin from his thoughts by tapping him on the shoulder. Thorin turned to look at the dwarf who had gained many years after his father's death, they had been really close.

"There are some two who are willing to see you", Flói simply informed and returned back to his work.

Fíli and Kíli were now standing in front of him, the younger one's hand in his brother's and the older one looking slightly irritated about it. Thorin raised his eyebrow at them. He was pretty sure he remembered Dís saying that the boys weren't allowed to come to the forge.

"What are you two doing here? Does your mother know where you are?" Thorin asked demanding.

"Mama mad", Kíli answered and put a finger in his mouth. Thorin frowned at him, but the little one didn't even look regretting, but continued to suck his finger.

"She just suddenly started yelling at us. We didn't even do anything! Well Kíli did, he tried to break mum's porcelain server."

"No!" Kíli protested after realizing he was being accused. "Fee hates me!" The dark haired dwarfling loosened his brother's grip on his hand and tumbled weeping on Thorin's legs.

"Well that's because you're so annoying! And besides, it's Fíli!" The older of the brothers yelled at the younger one, making him cry even more.

"I think that's enough", Thorin said before either of them could say anymore, and patted awkwardly Kíli's head. "This is not a place for fighting. Follow me." With that Thorin led the two pouting dwarflings out of the forge and through the halls to an empty sitting-room.

Thorin made them both sit down on a couch and sat himself on the opposite armchair. He looked at his young nephews wondering how to deal with them. The blond one was sulking and refused to take an eye contact with anyone and the dark one was hard trying to hold back his tears. Thorin gave a sigh before he started to try to find out what was wrong with these two.

"Now, I don't know why your mother is mad at you, but she probably has a good reason for that. What concerns me more was that hating part. Would you mind to explain me what was that about?"

Kíli turned his blaming eyes on his brother, not that they had much effect on him. On the other hand, under Thorin's stern look, Fíli started to squirm. Finally he raised his eyes and gave his uncle a defiant gaze, which was clearly legacy of Durin.

"I hate him because he's so annoying and doesn't leave me alone! I've told him to stop following me, but it doesn't help! He touches my stuff and plays with my toys, even though he has his own ones! He pinches and pokes me and mum does nothing about it, but if I do anything to him, I get punished! It's not fair!"

After Fíli's burst out it was silent again. Both boys were sitting quietly and looking at their shoe tips. Thorin wasn't sure if Kíli had actually understood everything his brother said, but at least he looked ashamed. Fíli then had calmed down somewhat with his yelling and didn't seem angry anymore, just a bit chagrined. Now it was up to Thorin to make him understand why Kíli did what he did. With a sigh he tried his best.

"You are his older brother Fíli; you shouldn't say something like that. I understand that Kíli annoys you sometimes, but that is how little brothers are. You can't change it. He will start to mimic you in the future, but it's only because he looks up to you and wants to be like you."

Fíli looked doubting at his uncle. "How do you know? Maybe he's just trying to make me go mad and then mum and dad don't want me anymore and Kíli will be their only son."

"Your parents will always want you. They love both of you just as much. And how do I know? I too had a little brother who sometimes made me crazy." The surprise could be seen from the young ones faces. Obviously Dís had never told them about him. It probably had never come up. It was time for them to hear about their other uncle.

"Frerin was his name. He was five years younger than me, just like Kíli is from you. I first found him irritating and a nuisance, but when he was old enough to really play with me, he came one of the most important persons in my life. I loved him like any older brother loves their younger brother. And one day you too Fíli will realize just how much Kíli means to you."

Kíli tilted his head and asked confused: "what happened?" Thorin blinked his eyes, not quite understanding what his young nephew meant with his question. Luckily Fíli could make out his brother's thinking ways and completed the question. "What happened to Frerin?"

"He… died long ago. In the battle of Azanulbizar." Thorin didn't really want to talk about those times, but his nephews had these mesmerized looks in their eyes, they wanted to hear more. Thorin had no other choice but to tell them about the war between dwarves and orcs and their journey to Khazad-Dûm to revenge Thrór's death. By the end of the story they were more or less excited and scared at the same time. Dís would not thank him when the first nightmares would come.

Finally after many additional questions and answers, Thorin shooed his nephews to go play somewhere. Telling about the past had made him pondering. He needed to talk with his sister.

Thorin found her from the private fireplace room, knitting a new cardigan. She didn't look mad anymore at least. He gave a cough to let Dís notice him, but apparently it was in vain.

"You don't have to do that brother, I heard you coming from afar. And don't think I don't recognize your gait, no one else in these mountains has same kind of strict pace", she said without even raising her gaze.

"How is Nár?" Thorin asked to be polite and to change the subject. He certainly did not have a strict pace.

"Bored, as one can guess. He wants to go to work and complains me pampering him. He just doesn't seem to realize what is best for him." Her voice got more heated as she got near the end. Maybe talking about Nár wasn't a good idea. Thorin decided to go straight to the business.

"I talked with your sons. Apparently they don't come along very well." Dís opened her mouth to give her opinion on the matter, but Thorin didn't let her. "I told them about Azanulbizar and-"

"You what?" Dís cried out. "You did sugar the story, didn't you?" _Of course_, was what he would have answered, but supposedly his face gave him away before him even opening his mouth. "For Mahal's sake Thorin! They're still kids! They don't have to hear stories about orcs killing dwarves! What were you thinking?"

"They do have to sometime and it's better sooner than later", Thorin answered calmly. Dís gave him a furious glare that would have silenced most of the dwarves on this side of the Misty Mountains, but Thorin had grown up with this woman. "But that was not what I wanted to tell you. I told them about Frerin too and it got me thinking and… I am sorry Dís. I have not been a very good brother lately."

The anger left from Dís' face and was replaced with bafflement. For a moment she studied her brother's face like she was trying to figure out what he was attempting to gain with this. Apparently her judgment was that Thorin was serious.

"Lately?" She snorted. "If 66 years is lately, then no, you haven't. But I understand you; it's just that you don't seem to remember that you are not the only one who has lost a lot. We all were left without home that day. Few that survived lost more in Moria. Frerin was my brother too and I too am from the line of Durin, so don't you dare to take all that pain and burden on your shoulders alone!"

Dís had been a mere girl when Smaug attacked. But she was a princess; she had been raised to be a one from her very birth. And right now that princess was standing in front of Thorin. She wasn't angry nor was she yelling. Her eyes were glowing with the pride of Durin. Then she gave a heavy sigh and the glow was gone and only loss was left.

"On that day, I did not only lose one brother, but both of them. One taken by orcs and the other by lost memories and sorrow. You can't live in the past, Thorin, see this moment, try to stay in the present for once and see what you have gained. All hope is not lost, for our line has not yet died."

The last words lit a sparkle in Thorin's mind, sparkle that kept growing. She was right. Though Thorin had no children of his own, it didn't mean he had no heir. They were still young, but Thorin would make sure Fíli and Kíli were raised to be fit to the crown. The hope was still living.

Thorin gave a gentle smile to Dís and took her in a bear hug. "Thank you sister", he whispered and no more words were needed. As they broke from the hug, Dís gave a quick smile before her expression turned into death seriousness.

"You know that you being responsible for telling that story to the boys, you will also be the one who comforts them when they see nightmares. And just to be sure this won't happen again; you will also put them to sleep."

Thorin could but agree to this for it was only fair. He wasn't willing obviously for he had heard many times how hard it was to get them bed and quiet, but he definitely knew his responsibility. But though all this putting to bed already horrified him, the comforting part was what he worried about. He still wasn't very good with children (though he was better than he actually thought he was).

At last Thorin had no other choice but to take his sternest look on his face and go and find his spirited nephews.

For Thorin had already turned his back to his sister, he did not see how her lips carved into a devious grin. She did not feel compassion towards her brother, this night she would sleep well after a long time.


	4. The Fading North Star

**A/N: Luckily I didn't actually have to rewrite everything as I had thought. So... Thorin is not in this chapter, but no worries, the next one will probably be again from his point of view. This one is about Nár.**

* * *

**The Fading North Star**

No matter how ironic it sounded, Nár was sick of being sick. He didn't usually get ill easily, dwarves in common didn't. But about two years ago he fell very ill and after that, there weren't a month he wouldn't get sick at least once.

Then had come the pain. It started with headaches, but soon spread to his back and feet. He was dizzy and pale all the time, suddenly he had no stamina and even the appetite was lost.

Of course this all affected a lot in his work, but mostly, in his family. His sons were growing in eyes and it pained him that he wasn't able to spend enough time with them. He had had so many plans already when Fíli was born and then he got another son. He was supposed to teach them sword fighting, how to make beautiful and durable things at the forge, smoking pipe and drinking when they were old enough and just be there for them. None of that was going to happen; he knew that now, for this time the illness had lasted for three months already and it had drained all his strength.

All that time he had only lied in bed, not able to get up on his own. Almost only thing he wasn't too weak to do was to keep his eyes open and let them wander around the room. He had memorized all the cracks on the ceiling and walls, he remembered every pattern on the carpet he was able to see and he had counted all the fur on the hide on him. Enormous count of hours he though had used staring at the faded rug on the wall, and he still couldn't tell what it was supposed to portray.

A silent knock on the door woke him from his thoughts. He tried to tell them to come in, for he knew it was Dís with the boys on their daily visit, but his voice came out as a mere whisper. He didn't know if they had heard him or not, either way they came in.

Immediately after they got in, the two little dwarflings ran to their father's bed yelling "Dad!" and "Papa!" Though they didn't actually jump on the bed nor did anything else rash. They were by now used to be cautious around their father and it made him all more sad.

"Hello little ones", Nár whispered with a hoarse voice and ruffled Fíli's shoulder length and Kíli's little shorter hair.

"I'm not little anymore dad! I'm seven already! Kíli's the little one!" Fíli protested with an offended pout.

"No! I'm a big boy too!" Kíli gave his own opinion on the matter. And that started the usual argument between the two.

Nár had no idea what Thorin had said to the boys, but thanks to him they came along a bit better than a year ago. Though time to time, Fíli still made it clear that he would have preferred not to have a little brother. Nár hoped that one day Fíli would realize what a precious thing the smaller one really was.

After couple of moments of heated exchange of words, Dís came to sit on the bed next to her husband's feet and cut off all the fighting, telling boys to behave themselves in front of their father. Honestly Nár didn't really mind what his sons did, just as long as he was able to be there to witness it.

When the little ones were done with grimacing at each other and both were holding their foreheads after Dís' flicks, Nár asked about their day. The argument was soon forgotten as they started eagerly to explain what they had done and seen. The best part of the day had been the gifts they had gotten from their uncle, identical hairpins. They were simple yet beautiful. Both of the boys had the pins on them and surprisingly it didn't even seem to bother Fíli to wear something similar to his brother.

It was getting late when boys had finally told everything there was to tell. Kíli gave a big yawn as Fíli tried to hide his own one. They would soon need to go to sleep, but before that Nár in turn had something he wanted to tell them.

"Fíli, Kíli, come closer." His sons obeyed him and each sat on the other side of their father the way he was still able to face them both at the same time. "Now, listen carefully what I will say to you. You two will have to take care of mum from now on. Do what she says and please don't make her crazy. Train hard and don't give up, nothing is too difficult for you to accomplish it. Grow strong and mighty. I love you my sons."

He wasn't sure if the boys understood the meaning of his words, but they both nodded and promised to be good and hard-working. Then they requested for a song before their mother had time to tell them to come with her and go to bed. And Nár couldn't deny it from them, though he mostly hummed it for he wasn't really able to sing. It was the song he had made himself sometime after Kíli's birth. It told about two young dwarves who travelled around the Middle Earth and slayed every orc that was come to pass their way.

By the end of the song the younger dwarfling was already sound sleep on his father's lap. Carefully Dís took Kíli in her arms and told Fíli to follow her, but he refused. Dís and Nár exchanged a glance, the end of which Dís nodded leaving the room with Kíli.

For a long while Fíli just sat staring at his hands. Nár didn't want to push his son to talk, so he just waited patiently. It's not like he was in a hurry to anywhere. Finally Fíli raised his gaze and his eyes were full of misery and fear.

"Don't leave papa, please don't go", he begged and tears fell on his cheeks. Fíli had stopped calling his parents mama and papa after Kíli was born. Only occasion he still did that was when he was scared. And right now that emotion was on the top of his mind.

Nár looked sorrowfully at his son. O how he wished he could have said that he wasn't going anywhere, that he would stay there, with his loved ones. But he couldn't and it would not be fair to lie.

"Come here", he said and took Fíli into a tight hug, the little one sobbing on his shoulder. "It's going to be okay my son. My time has come and I must go to the halls of waiting. There I will wait to see you all one day again – Mahal, let it be a long time. You will have to stay strong, Fíli, and look after your brother." Sniffling Fíli broke from the hug and gave a small nod. "Now you should go to sleep little one." His father prompted.

"Will I see you in the morning?" Fíli asked, not caring anymore if he was called 'little one'. Nár gave an apologetic look and new tears started to flow from Fíli's eyes, but determinedly he wiped them away.

"Good night papa, I love you", he whispered and gave one more hug to his father before leaving.

Nár pressed himself against the pillows and gave a heavy sigh. For some time he stared the ceiling and just when he was about to fall asleep Dís came in. Apparently both boys were already sleeping. She walked to her husband and sat again next to him, this time near the head.

For long time they stayed like that, holding their hands. No words were needed. Dís' warmth comforted Nár. He was proud of his wife, she was so strong. She never let the sadness hidden in her eyes to take control of her. Nár couldn't have wished for a better family, only for more time to be with them.

With a satisfied sigh he closed his eyes for the last time and his grip loosened in his wife's hand. He didn't see anymore how tears started to fall on Dís' cheeks.


	5. Goblin Hunt and Forbidden Song

**A/N: The inspiration wasn't completely on my side with this one. It took couple of days just to figure out how I should start this chapter. The end was kind of clear in my head though. And finally, in the next chapter I will get to write Kíli PoV. For some reason these chapters have been mostly running around Fíli.**

* * *

**Goblin Hunt and Forbidden Song**

For three years already Thorin had involved himself in raising his young nephews. After their father's death of course even more. In his opinion Fíli was old enough to start learning things appropriate for a prince, but Dís didn't agree. She said her son was still in an age to play around and not worry about adults' stuff. _Lady_ Dís being as stubborn as she was, Thorin could only teach Fíli in secrecy. That often included Kíli too, since Thorin didn't trust him being able to keep his mouth shut if he wasn't involved in the secret.

Working in human towns was still how Thorin mostly made living. There were long times when he wasn't around in the Blue Mountains and Fíli could have just lazed around, but every time Thorin came back and had a practice battle with the young one, he felt pride rising in his chest. Every time Fíli was stronger and more skilled, he kept practicing even when his uncle wasn't there to watch.

After being away for almost a month, Thorin was quite eager to see how much his nephew had developed in that time. He had been back already for two days, until they finally got a chance for a lesson.

Thorin was confident that Fíli would become a fierce warrior. There was already power and sturdiness in Fíli's strikes. If Thorin was able to ingrain all the techniques in his mind with such a young age, he would be immensely skilled as a grown-up. And just few more years and he could seriously start to train Kíli too.

As Thorin and Fíli competed with practice swords, Kíli fought against goblins with his wooden one. He said they were all around them and only he was able to see the goblins and protect his uncle and brother from them. Fíli of course snorted to this kind of thing, but whenever they were having a longer pause, he accompanied Kíli in the fight (claiming he was just showing him the new moves).

When they were having one of these pauses, Kíli without a warning turned to Thorin's direction and dashed towards him yelling: "Duck uncle Thorin!" The yell came so suddenly that Thorin didn't have time to think about it, he just crouched as he was told. Kíli's sword swooshed above his uncle's head.

"That was close, but now you're safe", Kíli explained to Thorin who gave a questioning look to the younger one.

"Goblin, eh? Are there more of them lurking around?" Kíli gave the older dwarf a look which said 'of course there are, can't you see them'. Thorin eyed his surroundings. They were outside in the apple garden, just the three of them. Thorin took a better hold of his sword and swung it in a beautiful curve.

"Did I get one?" He then asked from Kíli whose mouth turned into a bright smile.

"Yes! There are more coming! Let's get them!" The little dwarfling ran yelling a battle cry towards the trees and started to swing his wooden sword. Thorin couldn't help but do the same thing.

He must have looked pretty foolish since he could hear Fíli giggling behind him. He decided to put a stop to that. Slowly Thorin turned to the golden haired nephew's way and looked at him with stern eyes. He could almost hear how Fíli gulped and then took few steps backwards. But backing off wasn't going to help him. Thorin was in front of Fíli with three long leaps and then he just simply lifted his nephew on his shoulder.

"Kíli! This way, we need to protect your brother!" Thorin didn't see Fíli's face, but he could easily imagine the surprise and disbelief on it.

Kíli ran laughing to them and did his best to protect his brother. They hadn't killed many goblins yet when Fíli started to struggle in Thorin's grip and told he didn't need any protection, he could fight too. Gently Thorin lowered him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"In that case, I trust you to slay as many as you can", he said solemnly. Fíli nodded and accompanied the goblin hunt.

Thorin had no idea how long they had played (the saying, time flies when you have fun, was proven to be right). But sun was already clearly over its midpoint, when they heard a harrumph behind them. All three dwarves turned to face the new threat, which two of them also called mother and one sister.

Dís had her arms crossed and her foot was tapping on the ground in so familiar way. The glare she gave made Thorin and Fíli to hide their swords behind their backs. But they all knew it was too late, they were busted.

"Sister, what brings you here?" Thorin tried to sound innocent and casual.

"Well, brother, I waited a good while for my family to come to eat with me, but when they didn't show up in the following two hours after dinnertime, I felt that I had no other choice but to come and look what terrible things had happened to them to miss food. Fortunately I see you all are safe and well, though that brings up the question: why didn't you come to eat?"

Dís waited patiently for the answer and since it seemed no one else was going to give her one, decided the youngest he would do so. "We were fighting against goblins!" Kíli told eagerly.

"Is that so sweetie? Did you kill many of them?" The young one nodded and tried to show with his fingers how many he had cut down. "You must be tired and hungry then my little warriors. Go wash your hands and faces; the food is waiting you on the table. If it's cold you can only blame yourselves. And you will leave that sword to your uncle Fíli."

Fíli gave the sword obediently to Thorin and then he and Kíli ran to the main door and inside the mountain. Dís walked over to apple trees to see how the fruits were ripened. Thorin knew he wouldn't get as easily out of this as his nephews had, so he followed his sister and waited her to say what she had to say.

"I still disagree with you, you know. He thinks he's been so concealing and careful, but I've seen many times how he sneaks out with his brother to practice sword fighting. I first thought I should stop them, but when I saw them coming back, they both had these big grins on their faces. I couldn't say no when they were having so much fun together. So I trust you to train them well, as I guess you've been doing so far, from what I just saw."

There was a twinkle in her eye as she turned to her brother. Thorin on the other hand avoided her gaze, feeling his cheeks to burn a bit.

"That… looked quite silly, didn't it?" He said giving an embarrass chuckle.

"O no, not at all. An adult dwarf swinging his sword on the air and swearing in Khuzdul, which I do not approve in front of my sons, looks very fierce and sensible", Dís answered sweetly her voice full of sarcasm and a hint of scold on the swearing part. Then she took Thorin's arm in hers and led him inside to eat the already cold smoked fish.

* * *

The sun had set down a long ago and Kíli had already been sent to bed (Fíli being older had a permission to stay up later for Kíli's big annoyance). Thorin walked quietly in the room his nephews shared and sat carefully beside the dark tangled nest, which some called Kíli's hair. Once again he had left it uncombed and the plaits his mother had tried to make were now just a bunch of knots on his hair tops. With a sigh Thorin tried if he could open couple of them until they would felt and have to be cut.

"Will you teach me archery sometime?" A small voice suddenly asked almost making Thorin jump from the startle.

"Did I wake you?" He asked apologetic as the little one's sleepy eyes turned at him.

"No, I was awake. I can't fall asleep when Fíli's not here", Kíli answered and gave a big yawn. "Will you?"

"Teach you archery? I suppose I could. Why if I may ask?"

"It looks fun." Thorin chuckled to the answer. Fun indeed. Though it might come handy in the future to have an archer. Quickly Thorin shook the idea out of his head; he was thinking it way too far. Kíli was still only four years old.

"When you are big enough to hold a bow, I will teach you", he gave the final answer.

"I'm big already", Kíli murmured in protest half asleep. "Can you sing to me?" He then asked as if the thought had just come to his mind.

"Of course. What would you want to hear?" In dwarvish culture the singing was part of the everyday life in a way or another, so Thorin actually also enjoyed it quite much.

"About two dwarves and orcs and goblins", the dwarfling requested his father's song.

Thorin had heard the song couple of times, but never sang it himself, though he was pretty sure he remembered at least the first verse. So Thorin sang.

_There was a boy with heart of a lion and hair of gold  
And his brother who was boisterous and bold_

He didn't get further than that, when they heard an angry voice from the doorway.

"Stop! You can't sing it! You're not allowed to!" And with that Fíli turned on his heels and ran off just as suddenly as he had appeared on the doorway. Thorin apologized from Kíli for not singing the whole song and went after his older nephew.

Fíli was sitting on the floor, leaning his back against the wall and hugging his legs in so familiar way as he had four years ago. Like the last time, this time too Thorin sat next to him, though this time he knew Fíli better and had more experience with talking to children.

"Would you like to tell me why it is so important for me not to sing that song?" He asked gently and waited Fíli to raise his gaze from the floor. And slowly he did.

"It's dad's song", he answered quietly, but his voice soon gained more voice and fury in it. "And you're not our dad, so you can't sing it! You can't! No one else can!" Fíli shook his head to strengthen his words.

Surprisingly Thorin could understand what was going through that head covered with golden hair. It wasn't actually that Fíli didn't want anyone else to sing his father's song. That song just brought all the memories of him into the young one's mind. It brought back all the longing for the missing person.

Behind all the anger in the little one's eyes, there was sorrow and unshed tears. Now that Thorin thought about it, he didn't remember Fíli crying in Nár's funeral, nor any time after that. Guess he was trying to stay tough.

"Fíli, you shouldn't bury the memories of your father", Thorin went straight to the business and what he could read from Fíli's face, he had hit the point. "The pain will ease in time, but only if you let yourself be sad first. Letting yourself to cry might be a good way to start with."

"He told me to stay strong", Fíli started, but he had to stop before his voice broke down.

"Crying does not make you weak. Even the strongest shed tears sometime", Thorin said firmly. Fíli made a question with his eyes, which Thorin answered: "Yes, I also do."

For few more seconds Fíli stared his uncle, until he let the tears run free. He wept like a baby half lying on Thorin's lap who stroked his head and back. Finally the cry quieted to occasional sobs and lastly to puffing sound of sleep.

Soon after Fíli had fallen asleep, Kíli walked to them and sat on Thorin's other side hugging his stuffed bunny. The toy wasn't really that old, but it had gone through a lot and was quite worn out, one of its eyes already detached (Kíli had made his mother sew three eyes to the bunny).

"He doesn't understand", Kíli said after a while. "Fíli remembers lots of things about papa. I remember only that song. And when I try to ask from mama about him, she just tells that 'he loved us very much'. Fíli only tells me to shut up." After a little pause, Kíli looked Thorin in the eyes with a glimpse of hope in his own ones. "Can you tell me something about him?"

Thorin wondered if he really was the right person to tell to this little dwarfling about his father. But since it seemed that no one else told him anything, he didn't see any reason why he couldn't. So he told everything he knew about Nár and how he had seen him. He told how Nár had been a skilled and powerful warrior, a hard-working dwarf and a loving father. He answered to every question Kíli made and in the end the little one had satisfied smile on his face.

"Can you now finish the song?" Was the final request he made. And Thorin couldn't deny this from him. Gently he put his free arm around Kíli who happily leaned on his uncle, and continued where he had left.

_Together they wandered around__  
Fought the __goblins and conquered the ground_

* * *

**A/N: I've come to see a pattern here. Almost in every chapter someone cries (usually Fíli) and they end with people falling asleep.**


	6. Icy Realization

**A/N: When the inspiration finally kicked in, my damned neighbor dragged me on a walk! Who needs an outdoor life anyway? So yes, this means the vacation is over and I'm back in the middle of nowhere (population here is only 3500, though where I'm from it's 1500, so I guess this is actually a big city to me).**

**Into the business then. I've been able to put the boys' ages in earlier chapters, but since I wasn't able to fit them in this one, I'm just going to tell you them here. Fíli's 11 and Kíli's 6. There. This chapter was purely inspired by RyanDan's Tears of An Angel. Now let's hope I'll be fast at figuring out in what order I will put the couple next chapters and will be able to start writing them.**

* * *

**Icy Realization**

Though Kíli was never really alone, he often found himself lonely. He was a kind of a dwarfling who needed something to do and someone to be around all the time. Usually he preferred the one to be Fíli for he was his brother and Kíli really liked Fíli. Too bad the feeling didn't seem to be mutual.

Kíli tried his best to be a good brother, but Fíli always found something to complain about. That angered Kíli and almost every time they played something, it ended up with a fight. Their mother had tried to talk to them, their uncle had tried to talk to them, even some strangers had tried to talk to them, but all in vain. They endured each other, but they didn't come along. And that's why Kíli felt so lonely.

But that was soon to come to change, though neither of the two dwarves in question had slightest idea of it.

The morning had been usual, which meant that the youngest heirs of Durin had started it with a brawl. Their mother wasn't happy with this, as she wasn't about most of the stuff they did. Fíli had just gotten a good headlock of his brother when she tried to yell them that, 'if they were going to kill each other, they should do it outside for she had just got places cleaned', but neither of her sons heard it.

Instead Kíli pinched his brother and at the same time pulled himself off the headlock and then, as a freebie, he tripped Fíli on his rear. The expression on Fíli's face didn't promise any good, so Kíli decided that a retreat was the best solution and ran behind his mother, almost knocking her over. If Kíli had seen the look on _her_ face, he would have very wisely left the room as quietly and quickly as possible. But he didn't see and even the deep breath she took in wasn't enough to alarm him. So when he felt the hard pinch on his earflap, it was too late.

Lady Dís had both of her sons' ears in a pincer grasp as she dragged them to the door and opened it with her elbow. "I said out!" She hissed through her teeth and threw the boys out of the room.

For a moment the two stared the door and rubbed their hurting ears. Then they glanced at each other and sneered at the same time. Fíli turned his back to the door and to his brother and strolled off mumbling something about the whole thing being Kíli's fault.

Kíli ran after his brother and shouted offended at him. "My fault? You're the older one, shouldn't you take the responsibility? Besides, _you_ started it!" And that led to the usual bickering of who did and what.

At the time they entered the main hall full of dwarves doing different kind of chores, the quarrel had again escalated to a brawl. It might have ended with bleeding noses and black eyes, but luckily Balin and Óin were there to stop them. It took a while to get the boys to calm down, but finally they did and the older dwarves gave them the usual lecture.

"I just don't see what the problem is. I used to play all the time with my brother, even though our age difference is greater than yours. With all the logic you lads should be best friends, not the worst troublemakers after your uncle grew up", the almost completely white-haired Balin shook his head.

"Stew cup? I would like to have some too."

"I keep telling you to get an ear trumpet, Óin my old friend. You're hearing hasn't been the same after that incident", Balin said returning back to what he was doing before the interruption.

"There's nothing wrong with my wearing. This coat is real bear's fur, I killed it down myself", Óin objected following his friend.

The two dwarflings were left to stand back of the hall to think the words of Balin. And Kíli did think. He knew exactly why he was so annoyed with Fíli; he was always belittling and teasing him and then blaming Kíli of it all. But the reason why Fíli hated Kíli so much, he did not know. He had no idea what he had ever done so wrong to Fíli for him to spite him.

Kíli gathered his courage and was about to ask Fíli the reason, but he had already left the spot. Kíli hurried after his brother who was taking long steps (to Kíli's standard) back towards to their quarters. Fíli didn't answer to his brother's questions of what he was up to, only told him to wait behind the door while he sneaked in. As he came back, he had both of their coats and mittens. Apparently they were going out.

No words were changed on their way. Fíli stopped to get a rope with them, but Kíli didn't bother to ask what for. Outside the sun had just reached its midpoint and Kíli had to put his hand to cover his eyes until he got used to the whiteness. The first snow had come three weeks ago, but soon melted away, this time seemed it would last.

From the main door they headed towards the forest. Finally the silence was enough for Kíli and he tried to start a conversation. He thought that to bring up the purpose of the rope would after all be a good starting point.

"Why do you keep carrying that with you?" He asked and pointed the coil on Fíli's shoulder.

"I'm planning to tie you up on a tree and leave you there for a night. Then I'll come to see tomorrow morning what is left of you", Fíli answered not even turning to look at his brother. His tone was serious, but Kíli was pretty sure he was joking. But that once again killed all the talking.

After walking a while in the forest, they came to a small forest lake. It was more of a pond, than a lake really, five times as long as it was wide. It wouldn't take long to go around it, but it would still be faster to take a shortcut across the lake and the hasty little dwarfling Kíli was, that's exactly what he was going to do.

He had only taken four steps towards the lake, when he felt a stopping hand on his shoulder. Surprised he turned around and saw his brother's frowning face.

"You know we can't go that way. We have no idea how thick the ice is. It might break under us", he said looking the ice like it could throw some insulting words at him anytime now.

Kíli detached himself from Fíli's grip. "Don't be such a wuss. It's cold enough, the ice will last just fine", Kíli answered challengingly, but Fíli didn't swallow the bait.

"Fine, do as you want. You can drown yourself if you feel like it, but I won't risk my life." With that Fíli started to walk along the water's edge. Kíli snorted and took carefully the first steps on the ice. It seemed thick enough.

When nothing happened on the ten first yards, Kíli decided nothing would even come to happen. That was very stupid of him, not to talk about going to walk on ice that had just frozen. He got careless and when he had walked about third of the lake's width, he heard a cracking sound from beneath his feet. That was all the warning he was given before the ice gave in under him. Kíli didn't even have time to make any noise when the cold water already surrounded him from every direction.

* * *

Fíli had been observing his brother's going. He didn't admit he was worried, he just wanted to make sure Kíli would reach the opposite shore. It had nothing to do with caring. So when he saw Kíli disappearing into the ice, he was glad he was looking, for the fall happened quite silently.

Grumbling about how his stupid brother had of course fallen in the water, Fíli stepped on the ice. Carefully he moved towards the spot where Kíli had been, intending to help the younger one up. As he walked closer though, Fíli still couldn't hear anything from the direction Kíli was supposed to be, nor did he see his brother. Slowly the fear entered his mind. It didn't take long for Fíli to start running, but wisely he stopped seven feet before he reached the hole.

Remembering what he had been taught, he lain down and crawled the rest of the way. When he came on the edge of the hole, he couldn't see Kíli anywhere. His heart skipped a beat. Then he quickly did what first came into his mind. He took his hunting knife Thorin had given to him, from his waist and hit it through the end of the rope deep into the ice. Next he tied the other head of the rope around his wrist tightening it with his teeth. It was pure luck he had decided to take the rope with him; he had though intended to make a swing out of it, not use it as a rescue tool. Finally Fíli took a deep breath and dived head first into the freezing water.

Almost immediately when he touched the water his limps fell numb from the cold. He forced his arms to scoop the liquid around him and kept his legs kicking him forward. It was surprisingly dark below the ice and Fíli was afraid not finding the little one. And then he saw it, a glimpse of dark hair waving in the water. As fast as he could, Fíli swam to that direction and finally grabbed Kíli's pale hand.

When Fíli had Kíli in a good grip, he changed his swimming road towards the surface. Without the rope, he probably would have swum the wrong way and he'd have never found the hole. Soon he however reached it and broke the surface gasping some air into his lungs. With great effort Fíli was able to push Kíli on the ice and pull himself from the water.

Clumsily Fíli dragged his brother further from the hole and then went back to get his knife and to cut the rope off his wrist. He had hoped Kíli to wake up after getting out of the water, but of course that didn't happen, actually Fíli realized he wasn't anywhere near waking up. Kíli wasn't breathing.

Fíli felt panic rising inside him, his breath stuck in his throat and he couldn't think. Then he heard again Thorin's words and this time they struck hard. '_And one day you too Fíli will realize just how much Kíli means to you.'_ But did it have to be the same day he lost him? For all this time Fíli had tried to imagine what it would be like to be the only child again, but now he finally saw what it really would mean. He would be alone. There would be only him, no Kíli and he realized that was something he did not want. He wanted Kíli there. He needed Kíli to be there! He would not let his brother die!

"You have to breathe Kíli! Don't you dare to let go now!" Fíli cried as he slapped his brother's face trying to get some kind of response. When that didn't work he started to lift Kíli's arms hoping it to help, but Kíli still just lied there face as white as the snow around him.

Suddenly Fíli remembered the story Balin had told about a man who had brought someone back to life. Clinging onto this last straw, Fíli squeezed Kíli's nose, pressed his lips on his brother's and blew. And blew again. And blew once more and then, something happened. Kíli started to cough the water out of his lungs so Fíli quickly turned him on his side to help him to get everything out.

When Kíli finally stopped the coughing, Fíli took him in a hug soothing him down, though perhaps the words were more meant to himself than to his brother. The relief took over him and Fíli realized how cold he was. Kíli on his lap was also shivering and his eyes had closed again.

"Don't sleep Kíli. It's not safe to sleep when you're freezing. Remember Thorin telling that to us?" Fíli tried to keep talking as he stood up, Kíli still in his arms, and started to trudge his way back home.

Two times Fíli fell down and two times he got back up and continued walking. But on the third time, he wasn't sure anymore if he stood up again. He didn't even know if his legs were moving or was he just lying on the ground. Then suddenly he was flying and he heard familiar voices, though he did not remember who they belonged to. And finally came the much longed warmth.

* * *

Before Kíli could figure he was awake, he heard one soft and low and one higher pitched voice. It took a while to understand the words and their meaning, but finally he could even say who the two speakers were.

"Calm down Fíli, he's going to be fine thanks to you. Now what you both need is something hot to eat and a lot of sleep." Kíli recognized his uncle's soothing voice.

"No. It was my fault. I shouldn't have let him go on that ice. If I had stopped him, nothing of this would have happened. He almost died!" Fíli's voice sounded strange to Kíli's ears. It was so… miserable.

Thorin hushed Fíli and they talked about something in so quiet voices that Kíli couldn't hear the words. Then one steps left the room and Kíli supposed they belonged to their uncle who had left to get that hot food he had mentioned about. At least he hoped so, his stomach was empty and he was still cold after that plunge in the lake. He didn't really remember much of it. Just the coldness and Fíli's wet and worried face. Then darkness and now he was suddenly in his and Fíli's room.

There were couple moments of complete stillness until Fíli's sheets shuffled and silent steps closed Kíli's bed. His blanket was lifted and someone entered his bed. Kíli knew who that someone was and he was afraid of what he had to say to him. Fíli may have said those words to Thorin, but they weren't the truth, it hadn't been Fíli's fault at all.

"Are you awake?" Kíli heard Fíli's whisper right behind him. Kíli didn't answer; he didn't have power or the will to fight with his brother. The guilt was heavy enough on him without his brother blaming him. But apparently Fíli didn't care if Kíli was awake or not and his words surprised the younger one.

"I'm sorry Kíli. I'm so sorry."

Kíli couldn't hold his tongue; he turned to face his brother who had a sad look in his eyes. "Why? It wasn't your fault. I'm the one who didn't listen. You even helped me out of there right? And-"

"No, I… didn't mean just that. I'm sorry I have been such a jerk to you. I guess I just didn't see."

Now Kíli was completely confused. Yes, Fíli was never really very nice to him, but why did he apologize that now? And what he didn't see?

"I will make up everything to you, I promise", Fíli added with a serious tone and determination in his eyes. So this probably wasn't a new prank on Kíli, or at least that's what he wanted to believe, so he nodded carefully his head.

Fíli gave a small smile and did something Kíli had not expected, he wrapped his arms around the smaller one embracing him. "I love you brother", he whispered in the dark hair.

Kíli felt something warm in his chest and a smile rose on his own face as he answered the hug. This was first time Fíli had ever called Kíli his brother or said he loved him. Kíli closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth before answering to his brother, "I love you too."

So maybe Fíli didn't hate him after all.


	7. Kíli and the cub

**A/N: Three weeks... I regret nothing!**

* * *

**Kíli and the cub**

It had been about half a year since the lake incident. Fíli and Kíli's relationship had improved a lot. They of course still had fights once in a while, but Fíli had kept his promise, he had been the best brother Kíli could ever hope for and even more, he was Kíli's best friend.

People, who had hoped the two brothers to get along better, were now having second thoughts. If possible, the boys were worse than before. Now that they weren't constantly disagreeing with each other, they had plenty of time to scheme some antics on everyone else. Also, they had found a common interest towards breaking the rules.

This new founding was driving, not only their mother, but their uncle too insane. After Kíli almost drowning, Thorin had told the two to let him know where they were and especially, not to go into the forest without any adults, for it clearly was not a safe place to little dwarflings, particularly to rascal ones. If Thorin ever really thought that his young nephews would listen to him, he could not have been more wrong. Doing quite the opposite of what their uncle had told was exactly what the two were planning to do.

While the adults were busy with the day's work, Kíli and Fíli sneaked quietly and unnoticed out. They had explored the mountain many times already and they needed some fresh air. Any adult dwarf would only slow them down, so that is why they decided not to tell Thorin, nor anyone else, where they were heading.

Hiding behind the big rocks, the two made their way to the edge of the forest, where they were far enough from the judgmental eyes. They let all the excitement and joy out as they ran into the woods.

"You're it, brother!" Fíli yelled as he sprinted past Kíli and touched his shoulder on the way. "Catch me if you can!"

Kíli ran after his brother as fast as he could, but the harsh truth was that Kíli's legs weren't as long as Fíli's. The gap between them kept growing.

"Wait up Fíli!" Kíli cried desperately.

Fíli slowed down so the younger one could catch up with him. But what he didn't expect was Kíli tackling him from the waist height. When he realized what was happening, he was already lying on the ground and the smirking Kíli was sitting on top of him.

"Caught you!" The younger one stated delightedly. After the bafflement had eased, Fíli grinned and took a good hold of his brother. Then he rolled over, so that now he was the one on the top, and started to tickle Kíli. This started a playful wrestling match, which Kíli finally won, but only because Fíli let him (and maybe because Fíli was laughing so hard that he couldn't do much more than lie down).

When the match was over and the boys had calmed down, they continued to walk deeper in the forest. They didn't really have a plan what to do in there; they were just going with the whim.

They hadn't walked far when Kíli already got impatient and whiny. "I'm boooored… and hungry! Let's do something fun Fíli!"

"You just ate, you can't be hungry yet", Fíli answered disbelieving. It sometimes seemed that his brother had a bottomless stomach. "Do you have any suggestions what you'd like us to do?"

Kíli bit his lip as he tried hard to think something to do, but nothing came into his mind. Everything seemed too boring, so he just shrugged.

"Fine. Hmm, how about we play hide and seek?"

"That's so used up", Kíli pouted. He wanted something _fun_ to do. Not play some peekaboo.

"You think up something then." Fíli crossed his arms and waited, but Kíli said nothing. Finally the older one sighed. "How about, we make it a little different from the usual? The one hiding will make some fail tracks and the seeker has to recognize which ones are real. Also, if the hider is able to surprise the seeker, he can give the seeker a penalty."

Kíli looked doubting at his brother, he wasn't quite convinced yet. "What kind of penalty?"

"Whatever the hider chooses. And… the winner will have the other one's dessert for a week", Fíli made the final addition. This got Kíli very excited.

On the first round Kíli was one to hide and Fíli to look for him. It didn't take very long, for the week's desserts were on the top in Kíli's mind and he didn't give much thought where he hid, nor did he even try to fool his brother.

Next was Fíli's turn to hide. Kíli sat down next to a big oak and closed his eyes starting to count. He wasn't very good at it, so he mostly just said some random numbers and when he was sure he had stayed there long enough, he started to search.

The fail tracks got him confused and soon he was following the wrong trail. So wrong that it wasn't even made by his brother, but some of the forest animals. But Kíli didn't know that and he kept following the trace until he came to a small cave. More than a cave, it was actually a crack on a rock. It was so tiny, that Kíli had to push himself in it. If he had given it a second thought, he would have realized that Fíli couldn't be there, for he would have not fitted through the hole. Inside the crack was dark and moist and it stank.

"Fíli?" Kíli whispered as he tried to feel his way to the back of the cave with his hands. But what his hands met was not a cold wall, quite contrary, it was something soft, warm and furry. And it made whining noise.

After couple scratches from the furry thing's claws, Kíli came to a conclusion that it was some sort of a dog. He tried to calm it down as well as he could and soon the small animal curled up on his lap. Kíli stroked the small dog – a puppy, he guessed – whispering soothing words in its ear. It seemed that the little one was abandoned. Kíli couldn't leave it there alone.

Carefully he moved himself and the puppy to the entry. First the dwarf pushed himself out, and then he gingerly half luring lifted the animal. It wasn't very cooperative; apparently it didn't want to leave the one place it knew. But Kíli didn't give up and when the puppy was finally outside, he could see it clearly.

Never before had Kíli seen this kind of a dog, but then again, he hadn't even seen that many dogs in his life. Mostly the hounds that visitors had with them. The puppy had long legs and a sharp nose. It was sturdy and its coloring was different shades of grey. With sentient eyes it stared Kíli, who had helplessly fallen in love.

"Are you hungry?" Kíli asked, for his own belly had started to rumble. "I bet you are. Come, let's find something to eat!"

Somehow Kíli had made a connection with the puppy. Obediently it followed the little dwarf to a place where Kíli knew were lots of rabbits. Neatly he made a trap and then hid behind the bushes with the pup.

They didn't have to wait for long. There was first some rustle and then a rabbit jumped from the fern bush and right into the trap. Kíli cheered for the success and was about to cut the rabbit down, so he could make some food out of it (even though he had no idea how), but the puppy was faster. It snatched the rabbit off the trap with its fangs. Before Kíli could even take one step towards the pup, it had killed the rabbit and started eating it.

"Hey, wait up! Left some for me too!"

Until Kíli reached his friend, there was more rustle and a big cat jogged behind the trees. It was a lynx. Balin had told to Kíli and Fíli that lynxes weren't usually bloodthirsty, but minded only about their own business. However, if you disturbed them or meddled with their business, you might get yourself into a big trouble. And right now it seemed that the rabbit they caught had been the lynx's prey.

The cat snarled at the puppy as it slowly walked closer to it. The pup didn't seem to be happy with someone menacing it and trying to take the food away. Kíli couldn't let anything to happen to his friend, so he ran in front of the pup and spread his arms trying to look as big as he could. Though this only seemed to make the lynx angrier.

Then suddenly the puppy spit the rabbit out of its mouth and with a very deep growl stepped in front of Kíli. Its teeth were exposed, head was low and its body was tense. For a moment the lynx and the puppy kept staring each other. The lynx seemed confused of how it should react on the little dog. The pup used the opportunity and bit the cat's leg. Surprised the lynx swung its paw at the pup and ran off.

The strike hadn't come with great power, but the pup was a lot smaller than the lynx, so the hit did fly it a few feet away. Giving a terrified gasp, Kíli hurried to the pup to see how it was. Fortunately it seemed to be mostly okay, but when it walked, it limped its right foreleg.

"You defended me", Kíli said adoring. "You need a name. What would you like of Liulfr? I think it fits you."

Kíli had no idea what he should do to Liulfr's leg, so he decided it would be better to take the puppy to home and ask help from a doctor. Setting to straight away, Kíli picked up the Liulfr in his arms and started to walk back towards the mountain. He had to take quite a few breaks, for the puppy weighted more than it looked like.

Finally they got to the main gate and inside the mountain. Luckily no one seemed to be around the entrance. Kíli had come to think that his mother wouldn't perhaps be happy with his new friend, so he would have to keep it as a secret and any adult dwarf who saw him, would tell to his mother. Hence the sneaking. But if Kíli thought he would get the whole way to his room and find someone who could help his friend without anyone noticing him, he was quite wrong. He was in the middle of the first hallway towards their quarters, when he heard a voice behind him.

"What are you doing?" Startled Kíli spun around and saw his uncle staring at him frowning. Of course his uncle had to be the one busting him. Thorin looked everything else but happy as he saw Liulfr in Kíli's arms.

"I, um…" But before Kíli could give any decent answer, Thorin took a hold of his shoulder and led him to the nearest room.

"Where did you get that?" Thorin demanded immediately after closing the door. Kíli felt a bit offended by his uncle's hard tone.

"I found it – him. He was all alone and hungry and then he hurt his leg."

"Kíli, do you know what that is?" Kíli could have sworn he heard scorn in Thorin's voice, which confused him.

"He's a dog, right?" He answered now hesitating. He knew Thorin was probably also against of him keeping Liulfr, but that tone sounded much different from his usual one, when he was denying something from his nephew.

"No. It's a wolf cub. Do you know what wolf's do? They kill people", Thorin answered with an icy tone. He didn't take his eyes off of the cub even for a second. It looked like he was trying to kill the wolf with his gaze. "Where did you find it?"

Without thinking Kíli answered the question, which was a big mistake. "From a cave in the forest."

"The forest? Have I not told you not to go there alone?" Thorin thundered. But Kíli didn't boggle that easily.

"I wasn't alone", Kíli said and put Liulfr on the floor, "Me and Fíli were –" _Oh no_, Kíli realized as he mentioned Fíli's name.

"You both went there, even though I clearly told you not to?" Thorin asked disbelieved, but Kíli didn't stay to listen to him. He charged out of the door, through the main gate and straight to the forest. There he finally stopped and tried to catch his breath.

"Fíli!" He yelled still panting. How could he have forgotten about his brother? What if something had happened to him? What if that lynx had found him? Fíli had no one protecting him.

"FÍLI!" He cried again, this time even louder.

"You know, the point is that you have to find me." Kíli turned to see how his brother jumped from a tree and fluttered his clothes. "And what took you so long? I almost fell asleep while waiting you."

Instead of answering to his brother, Kíli rushed to hug him. Confused Fíli patted Kíli's head, but before he could make any more questions, Thorin's angry voice startled him.

"Fíli, Kíli, I think you have something to explain to me. Why are you two in the forest when I especially told you not to come here? You acted against my will." There was so much disappointment in Thorin's voice that in lieu of meeting his eyes, Fíli stared his boots. Kíli on the other hand didn't care about Thorin, but the one in his arms got his attention.

"Liulfr!" He cried and ran to the wolf. Calmly Kíli stroke the cub comforting it and soon it stopped struggling in Thorin's arms. This got also Fíli's interest and he came to see the little animal.

"Is it a wolf?" He asked and gave his hand for the cub to sniff it. He giggled when the wolf licked his hand and said: "he's cute!"

"No, it is not _cute_. It's a killer and it has to be killed before it gets a chance to do so first", Thorin said sternly.

"No! You can't kill him! He's my friend!" Kíli yelled frightened. He tried to take the wolf from his uncle, but he was just a mere dwarfling while Thorin was an adult.

"Kíli, it will kill dwarves when it grows, just like its kin did."

"You don't know that! He's just a baby! He hasn't done anything wrong! You don't kill people if their fathers have done something bad, so why should you kill Liulfr?" Kíli wasn't going to give up on his friend. He had given Thorin two choices and Thorin knew it. Either he'd let Kíli to keep the wolf or then he'd take it with force and would have Kíli's hatred upon him. Tough choice.

Thorin crouched down on Kíli's level and put the cub down. "I can't let you keep it Kíli. It's not a dog, you can't have a wolf as a pet", he said calmed down and apologetic, looking deep in the young one's begging eyes, which filled with tears now.

"You can't uncle Thorin", Kíli whispered his lower lip trembling.

Thorin hushed him and put his hands on his nephew's shoulders. "But you have a point, though I'm not completely agreeing with you. We'll let… Liulfr live. But he needs to get to his pack. I know you said he was alone, but he's in a good condition, which means someone has taken care of him, probably his mother."

Kíli sniffled, wiped his nose on his sleeve and gave a small nod. He didn't really want to part ways with Liulfr, especially when they had just met each other, but he understood. Liulfr had to miss his mother, Kíli knew he would have. And it was a better choice than having Liulfr dead.

They checked Liulfr's leg, but it had just strained, it would heal soon. Then they rubbed moss on his fur, so it wouldn't smell like a dwarf, otherwise his mother wouldn't necessarily accept him as her cub. Only thing they could do anymore was to take Liulfr to where Kíli had found him and leave him there, hoping that everything would go well.

* * *

Thorin was walking a few yards ahead, then came Fíli and couple steps behind him Kíli. They were heading back home, but Kíli couldn't stop thinking about his friend who was probably all alone. He missed him already and though he didn't have faith in it, he hoped they would meet one day again. Then something else occurred to him.

"You could have stood up for me", he said to Fíli's back. Fíli slowed his pace, until he was walking next to his brother.

"I was prepared to tackle Thorin, if he had decided to kill Liulfr, so you could have taken him and escaped."

Kíli looked Fíli suspiciously, but the older one's eyes were honest, he would have opposed their uncle, if it meant his brother's happiness.

"Why did you name him Liulfr? You know what it means, right?" Fíli then asked curiously.

"Yeah, shield wolf", Kíli nodded. Though he had thought Liulfr to be a dog, he had thought he had a wolf's heart. "He protected me when a lynx attacked us. That's how he hurt his leg." Kíli told the whole story from the moment he had started to search for Fíli to the point he had ran back to the forest. And all the while Fíli had sat in a tree waiting Kíli to find him.

"So did I win?" Kíli asked after he had finished the story.

"What? No way! You couldn't find me, so it was rather my win."

"But I did find you!"

"No, you yelled me and I came down from my hiding place."

"Means I found you. It's your own fault you came on sight when I yelled. It counts!"

"Does not!"

After a moment of arguing which one won and who should get the other's desserts, they came to a conclusion it was a tie and they would settle it with a race to home. It's not like they had even ever agreed how to count the points they'd get in their game.

As they sprinted past Thorin, Kíli shrieked: "If we're first at home, we'll get your dessert too!"

Thorin blinked confused at this statement, but then he dashed after his nephews. He would not give up on his dessert so easily!

* * *

**A/N: Ad alert here! If you haven't read the hobbit or you would like to read a different version of what happened on their journey from the point they were left on the Carrock, I suggest you go to read TheShipOfTheDreams' stroy Requiem for Erebor: **s/8974882/1/Requiem-for-Erebor **(Etpäs odottanutkaan tätä palladiumiseni ;))****  
**

**Happy Easter!**


	8. For Jealousy and Respect

**A/N: It's not like there happens much, so I have no idea why this is so long. I think I blame Dwalin, he keeps talking when he could just give Kíli the answer to his question. Such a chatterbox that one.**

* * *

**For Jealousy and Respect**

It had been a tiring day for young dwarves. Kíli was finally big and strong enough to draw a bow, though only a small one that had been custom made for him. So Thorin was now full timely including the little one in training. Both brothers had been really excited about this because it meant they could practice together. The older one's excitement had however slowly died down as he realized, he wouldn't always be better than his brother in everything.

And eventually the day Fíli lost to his younger brother came. After Thorin had realized Kíli's natural talent in archery, he had made the bow his primary weapon. And Kíli trained hard to impress his uncle. And of course it was an archery contest in which Kíli won. So yes, Thorin was impressed and Kíli was very proud of himself. Fíli on the other hand was disappointed and angry, but he did his best hiding it.

His best ended when everyone else was sleeping. Fíli knew he was being childish, but he wanted to teach Kíli a lesson. Naturally without being caught. Silently the golden haired dwarf tiptoed in the kitchen where he found a kettle still full of warm water. _Perfect_. He poured some of the water in a bowl and with it, sneaked back in the room he shared with Kíli.

Carefully Fíli placed his brother's hand on the water and waited for the effects to show. But nothing seemed to happen. Fíli needed a new plan and he just had something in his mind that might work.

* * *

In the next morning Kíli woke with a huge yawn and long stretch. As he sat up on his bed, he realized something wasn't exactly right. With a hunch of what he would find, he lifted his blanket carefully. He couldn't believe it, yet there it was, a yellow stain on his crotch and even a bigger stain on his mattress.

He put the blanket back, rubbed his eyes and looked again. He had to be dreaming, he didn't pee in his sleep, he did not! Though the proof was kind of convincing.

"Is something wrong Kíli?" Fíli's voice woke the younger one from his thoughts.

"Yes, no, everything's perfectly fine. Why wouldn't it be?" Kíli quickly responded and lowered his blanket again. There was no way he would tell about this to Fíli, he would laugh so badly and that was something Kíli didn't need right now.

"Well get up then. Thorin said he would show us some of his new weapons before breakfast if we woke early", his brother said starting to change his clothes. Indeed Thorin had promised to do so, after they had ruined for it long enough.

"Erm, you go ahead, I'll come right behind you", Kíli suggested wringing a corner of his blanket in his hands.

"Are you sure you're okay? You seem a bit odd", Fíli said concern in his voice and turned to look Kíli in the eyes, but the dark haired dwarf avoided the eye contact.

"Yeah, I'm fine. You should hurry, if you're late Thorin won't show the weapons", Kíli said hurriedly keen to get his brother out.

Fíli just shrugged and Kíli was relieved to see him leave the room, but what Kíli did not see, was the mischievous smirk on his brother's face.

After Fíli was gone, the young dwarf jumped quickly out of the bed, threw the dirty clothes on the floor and pulled the sheet out of his bed. He changed to his day clothes, though he was so much in a hurry that they were a little willy-nilly on him. Then he took the cloth bundle from the floor and sneaked out of his room. Kíli knew he had to be fast and unseen.

Still not sure where he should hide his disgrace, the young dwarf tiptoed to first corner and made sure no one was around. After couple of turns with no dwarves in sight, Kíli was starting to feel that he could do it. But he was feeling comfortable too soon. Suddenly he heard steps from ahead and went into a panic. He stood in the middle of the hallway like his legs were rooted on the floor. Just when it would have been too late a second later, the young dwarf got his brains back to work. He ran to the closest door and threw the cloths inside. To his luck the room was empty at the moment, though it's not like he had even given a thought for it.

Kíli had time to take one steading breath until Balin came to his sight. The dwarfling walked casually past the old dwarf and greeted him with respect. Though he always thought Balin as an old dwarf – his beard being almost completely white already – he knew Thorin was actually a little older than his friend. But Thorin only had like two white hairs on his head – if you looked really closely and when mentioned about it, Thorin said it was because of his terrorizing nephews – and that confused the young one sometimes. When asked from mum, she told that Thorin had still so much to do, so much to accomplish, that he had no time to get older. In a way he wanted to help his uncle, but then again, he didn't want him to get older. Old dwarves looked like raisins and he didn't like raisins.

Already lost in his thoughts, Kíli arrived in the dining hall. He expected to see his uncle and brother waiting for him, but after a quick examining he soon realized they weren't there. He approached the closest dwarf, which happened to be Glóin, who was eating breakfast.

"Hi!" Kíli greeted cheerfully. He remembered some of the manners his mother had thought him.

"Well hello there little one. How may I help you?" The red bearded dwarf answered.

Kíli didn't really like to be called 'little one', but he decided that complaining about it would only make it harder to get an answer. "Have you seen uncle Thorin or Fíli?"

"Sorry lad, I just came here a moment ago myself. But try asking him." Glóin pointed at the dwarf nearby. Dwarf who was about the same height as Kíli's uncle was. Kíli swallowed as he looked at Dwalin. He hadn't and never would admit that he was a bit afraid of the tattooed dwarf. After gathering his courage, Kíli thanked Glóin and walked to Balin's brother.

* * *

Dwalin was deep in his thoughts. He wasn't in a very good mood, for he had just lost a game as the first thing in the morning. And to Nori of course, that sneaky excuse of a dwarf. You'd think one would have learned not to play against someone who he couldn't win and who he knew cheated, but apparently Dwalin wasn't as clever as he thought he was.

He was just taking his anger on poor walnuts that had done nothing wrong to him, when he heard a small cough behind him and then a peeping voice.

"Hello sir, I was wondering if you-"

Dwalin was so fed up with little dwarflings asking about every little thing. Can you show us your axes? What do your tattoos say? Did it hurt getting them? How did you get that scar? Where did your hair go? So he cut the kid behind him in short.

"What is it? Speak louder, I can't hear you if you mumble like that." He didn't even turn to see who it had been behind him, but from the silence he assumed his fierce voice had done its job and scared the nosy child away. But he was wrong.

"Thorin. Have you seen him?" The dwarfling suddenly said louder and this time Dwalin turned to see who it was behind him. And to his surprise, he knew this one with dark hair and big brown eyes. It was the other one of those brothers, what was his name?

"Fíli?" Dwalin tried and of course his bad luck continued and he picked the wrong name.

"It's Kíli. Actually", the little one said pouting.

"Kíli it is then", Dwalin repeated with a little gentler voice (which wasn't really much). "You wanted to find Thorin?"

"Yes. Or Fíli. He's the blond one", Kíli clarified. The boy was looking very tense; he stood stick straight and shoulders stiff. Dwalin guessed he had scared the lad.

"Sure he is. I didn't mean to startle you, just so you know", he said carefully, hoping to get the kid relax, but his plan backfired a bit.

"I wasn't startled and I am most certainly not scared of you!" The boy yelled angrily his voice an octave higher than before.

The dwarves around the table turned to see who had angered the little one. When they saw the dwarf in question, they shook their heads and laughed in their beards. Everyone knew Dwalin wasn't exactly the dwarf to come along with children.

"Of course, of course, sorry", the older dwarf tried to reassure the boy, glancing around him and giving a glare to anyone who dared to laugh at his face. Then he turned his eyes back to kid. "I saw your uncle leave some time ago with your brother."

The answer had quite the opposite effect on the lad than Dwalin had thought; he had this sad look on his face. "It wasn't that long ago, if you hurry, you might catch them", the older one continued and hoped that the kid would run after them and leave him alone. He was feeling quite uneasy.

"No, he warned us being late. He said he wouldn't wait if we weren't on time and I wasn't. Now Fíli will get to see all the weapons and I have to be stuck here." Dwalin was afraid that the young one would start to weep soon enough, but to his luck, it took more than that to make Kíli cry.

"I'm sorry. You can… have a look on my axes if you want", Dwalin offered awkwardly.

The little one had a thoughtful look on his face before he nodded. Dwalin had no other choice, but to take out his axes and show them to Kíli. The boy made a whole lot of questions about the weapons and soon they both had relaxed and Dwalin found himself telling stories from his youth to Kíli.

* * *

Seeing Dwalin's axes wasn't really the same as going to see Thorin's weapons, but the tattooed dwarf didn't show his axes much to kids, so Kíli had taken the advantage he had been given. Kíli had enjoyed listening to the stories of great weapons and wars and soon he had found himself surprisingly comfortable with the tall dwarf. He wasn't that scary after you got to know him better. But finally Dwalin had to have leave to work, so Kíli was left alone again.

Wondering what he should do while his brother and uncle were gone, Kíli wandered in the halls of the Blue Mountains. He had of course already forgotten all about the sheets he hid, otherwise he would probably had very wisely went to get them and find a better place to hide them. Or he could have told his mother.

In fact, Dís was exactly the one he was heading to. Though the reason was quite different from the confession, he was bored without Fíli around, so he thought that maybe his mother had an idea of what he could do. And O yes, she did.

"Why don't you help me in baking?" Dís asked when Kíli arrived in the kitchen, where she was making bread and other things.

"Noooo, that's boring! I want to do something fun!" Kíli answered with his third whiniest tone.

"Well, sweetie, baking can be fun, if you want. You just have to use your imagination."

If someone had told Kíli that he would ever enjoy baking, he would have laughed very hard on his face. But he really did like the way they baked with mum. It was something completely different and Kíli learned something new from his mother. She sure could goof off!

Before they could start to bake the next round, they had to get the ingredients. First they went to get the eggs, but there was a little trick, you were not allowed to touch them with your hands. For a start, Kíli thought he'd try to kick the eggs from the pantry to the kitchen, but already the first kick smashed the egg. Dís tried to carry the egg with her head and she did get a little further than Kíli, but finally it ended the same way as it did with Kíli's egg.

Finally after five more broken eggs, they agreed to use a tool as a help. In the end they both had spoon handles in their mouths and an egg on the other head of the spoon. It still wasn't easy and they broke some more eggs, but finally they had enough of them in the kitchen.

As they started to break the eggs (on purpose this time), Dís showed Kíli different ways to do it. One of them was to hit two eggs together hard enough for them to crack, but softly enough, so they didn't smash. It looked easier than it was. Kíli broke eggs on his own bowl and every time there went some shells with the content. Though he didn't actually tell that to his mother.

They did this kind of things with all the ingredients. With flours they had a contest where they both put a spoonful of flour in their mouth and which one could whistle first won. Then they had extremely greasy race with butter and after they had finally put the baked good in the oven, the kitchen looked worse than Kíli and Fíli's room had ever looked.

But that bothered neither of them. Kíli and his mother were bursting with laughter their faces all white with flour. Kíli was sure he even had some egg on his hair. Mum said it had healthy effect, but Kíli didn't quite believe it. In the end Dís sent her son to wash himself and stayed behind to clean up the kitchen because "someone has to do it and you're only going to be in my way." So off he went, though not to cleanse himself.

Kíli hated to be bored, so this time he thought he would figure out something to do before the boredom could hit him. He headed his steps towards the common sitting room, where he hoped to find some company.

There weren't many people in the sitting room, since most of them were working, but there were two dwarves that Kíli knew he could milk stories from. Náli and Lóni were having a heated conversation in the corner, but when they noticed Kíli they suddenly went silent.

"What is it you want?" Náli asked bluntly gaining a hit from his brother.

"Don't care about him, Kíli. What brings you here? I thought you and Fíli were supposed to be seeing the new weapons", Lóni asked with a nicer tone.

The boredom wasn't the only reason Kíli was trying to have something to do all the time. The other reason was that he didn't want to think what he was missing out right at the moment. Thorin and Fíli had already taken quite a long time, which had to mean that they were having fun without him.

"Didn't feel like going", Kíli answered avoiding the eye contact.

The brothers shared a look and Náli pulled third chair around their table and pointed Kíli to sit there. Kíli sat obediently and the older dwarves continued to talk with each other, though not the same conversation than earlier.

After a while Kíli had listened the discussion, he started to make questions and soon he had gotten the two to tell him stories. Unlike Dwalin, these two didn't sugar coat their stories, so Kíli was able to hear all the dirty details. He even picked up some swearwords in Khuzdul, which later on did not please his mother and the ones who taught her son that kind of language were going to feel her disapproval.

At last at the lunchtime Thorin and Fíli came back. Kíli ran straight to them and did what he had done so many times on that day, asked questions. First of all he wanted to know what had taken so long. Then how many weapons did Fíli see, which was the greatest one, did he get to try them and a whole lot more and Fíli had no time to answer to any of them (not that he even tried, he knew how his brother could be). He did not stop even while eating, no matter how many glares he got from his uncle.

* * *

Thorin was not happy when only his older nephew arrived in the dining hall. They were meant to go to the weaponry workshop before breakfast, but Thorin hoped Kíli to appear soon after his brother, so he decided that they should eat first and go then. But even though he gave this additional time for his younger nephew to show up, he didn't do so. So it was just he and Fíli then.

Fíli seemed to be really excited of all the weapons Thorin showed and very eager to try them. It took longer than Thorin had anticipated, partly because they lost the count of time while testing the weapons. It was good that they had eaten the breakfast beforehand, for it was already lunchtime, when they returned from the workshop.

Thorin had decided that he needed to talk with his younger nephew, but he didn't get a chance for it before eating. Not that anyone could have gotten a turn to speak from Kíli's babbling before or during the dinner. So Thorin just settled for glancing at the young one.

Suddenly when the dwarf king was eating a bun, he felt something crunch in his teeth. He bit again with the same kind of result. Then he felt the crunching object with his tongue, it was hard and sharp and when he took it out of his mouth he recognized it as a piece of an egg's shell.

He was just wondering how in Mahal's name had it gotten in his bun, when he heard Kíli – who had finally stopped the asking and started to tell what he had done today – saying that he had helped his mother bake some of the stuff. So much of the swearing not to eat his nephew's makings ever again, though this time it wasn't Fíli's making and some shell would not probably make his stomach to turn a somersault. Still he didn't feel like eating buns for some time.

After the dinner was over and everyone was heading back to what they were doing, Thorin called for Kíli. It was time to have a little talk with him. Puzzled Kíli waited as patiently as he could while the hall was emptying. Fíli gave a questioning look at his uncle, but he just waved his hand for Fíli to leave, this didn't concern him. For some reason Fíli looked a bit regretting before he too left the hall.

"I thought I was strict about being on time yesterday", Thorin finally said when there was no one else in the dining hall besides them. He could see the realization in Kíli's eyes as he understood what this was about. Then he turned his gaze on his boots.

"Yes, uncle", Kíli answered with a downcast voice.

"Then where were you? Did you not want to come?"

"Of course I did!" Kíli exclaimed and raised his eyes to meet his uncle's. "I just…"

"Yes?" But Kíli didn't continue. He had a begging look on his face, but Thorin was not going to let Kíli get away with this. He was an heir of Durin and he had to act like it.

Just when Thorin was going to start demanding answers, a dwarf came in. She happened to be the same one that had come to get Thorin when Fíli was born, Erdeth was her name.

"My lord, I was about to do the regular cleaning, but then I found this from your working room. I wonder if you wanted me to do something with it?" She showed a cloth bundle in her arms.

Thorin had no idea what she was talking about, so he went to see the bundle closer. Not until he saw the stain on the sheet, did he realize why she had come all the way here to show this to him.

"Whose is this?"

"I found it from your working room", the woman repeated calmly. Was she suggesting that Thorin had himself wet his sheet and then hid it in his room? He was about to set her straight when a peeping voice from about his elbow's height interrupted him.

"It's mine."

Thorin turned to see his young nephew, but Kíli was staring at the floor again. Sighing Thorin took the bundle and sent Erdeth away, so he could talk alone with the young dwarf.

"Is this why you were late?" He asked gently as he put the bundle to wait on a chair and turned to his nephew. Kíli nodded his head slightly biting his lip. "Why didn't you tell me? And why on earth did you hide it in my room?"

"I panicked; I didn't realize it was your room until now. And…" Kíli sniffled. "I didn't want you to think less of me and it's embarrassing." Kíli looked at Thorin half challenging and half scared what his uncle would say.

"Kíli", Thorin said with tender tone and kneed down so he was looking up at Kíli, "I do not think less of you and you don't have to be ashamed of, accidents happen to everyone. You're still young."

"I'm eight already, uncle! I bet you didn't wet your bed at my age!" Thorin couldn't really argue with that.

"The age doesn't matter here. When you have a mishap, you need to tell someone about it, not to hide the evidence. Not only in this kind of matter, but in other things too. Do you understand, Kíli?"

Kíli wasn't looking exactly convinced, but he nodded. Thorin gave a pat on his shoulder and got up.

"Let's take the cloths to wash, now shall we?"

Thorin reached his hand towards the bundle, but before he could touch it, he noticed something. The color wasn't quite right and now that he thought about it, the sheet didn't smell stingy as it should have been.

"This isn't pee. You didn't wet your bed, Kíli; it seems that someone has pulled a prank on you", Thorin smiled at his young nephew who had a disbelieving look on his face.

"What? Really? But why? Who?"

"I have quite a good guess for who. But why? That we have to ask from him. Fíli!"

* * *

Outside the door Fíli almost jumped out of his skin as he heard Thorin call for him. How did his uncle know he was still there? Regardless of that, Fíli had no other option but to go in and face his uncle and brother. He opened the door and walked slowly, eyes laid down, to the two waiting dwarves.

"Do you have something you would like to tell us?" Thorin asked when Fíli was finally standing before them.

"I, I'm sorry", Fíli said quietly.

"For what?" Kíli asked confused.

Fíli felt like rolling his eyes, but that wouldn't probably have been the best thing to do when you were apologizing to someone. So he just answered honestly.

"For pouring water with colorant in it on your bed. And thus making you be late in the morning, though I didn't actually plan on that."

In any other occasion Fíli would have burst out laughing at his brother's facial expressions. His face was struggling between disbelief, anger and amusement. Finally he settled somewhere between the latter two.

"Why? Why would you do that? You knew how much I waited to see those weapons!"

"I know! I said I didn't mean it."

"But why?"

Why indeed. Fíli knew very well why he had done it, but he didn't want to tell it. He was too ashamed of himself. But Kíli's crossed arms and Thorin-mimicking stern look forced him to tell. Not because they worked the way Thorin's did, but because he didn't want to lie and deceive his brother.

"I was jealous okay!" Fíli blurted out. "I'm older than you and I have always been better in everything. But then I lost to you in that archery contest. And it made me feel… I don't know, I was afraid that you won't… respect me as your older brother anymore."

"Of course", Kíli nodded, "and making me think I wet my bed is a perfect way to keep my respect." Fíli had no idea his brother could use so much sarcasm in his voice.

"I know, I'm sorry, I really am. Please forgive me, Kíli", Fíli asked desperately.

Kíli looked like he was wondering hard if he should accept his brother's apologize or not, but finally he broke into a smile. "Sure. But I owe you one, remember that", the younger one said mischievously.

Fíli smiled relieved. Then they both startled as their uncle suddenly cleared his throat, they had completely forgotten his presence.

"It's good to see you two can make up without others involving, especially after the disagreements you've had. I am proud of both of you", Thorin said warmly smiling at his nephews. "And tomorrow I will show the weapons to you Kíli."

Kíli jumped in triumph as they started to walk away from the dining hall. "Hey Fíli, wanna hear the stories I heard from Dwalin?"

"What? You spoke with Dwalin?"

"Yeah! And he showed his axes to me too!"

"No way!"

And so Kíli told the stories he had heard on that day, while the wildest ideas of the perfect prank to his brother ran through his mind. He was so going to pay him back.


	9. Journey to Human Town - The Hardships

**A/N: I could say I've been busy and partly it would be true, but mostly this long break is because of the lack of inspiration and motivation. So the next chapters most probably won't come very soon either. Anyway, I know there's no such town as Lune in Middle-Earth, but I couldn't find any towns nearby the Blue Mountains, so I decided to take the writer's freedom and make one.**

* * *

**Journey to Human Town – The Hardships**

"Stay still!" Dís commanded her younger son, while trying to button his cardigan.

"I don't like staying still", Kíli answered squirming the best he could. Finally when the cardigan was buttoned, Dís noticed that only one button had gone through the right hole. Sighing she let the little one go run around the outer hall, just because he did not want to stay still.

"Seriously mum, I'm old enough to take care of Kíli. We don't need any babysitters. Especially not Dwalin", started her other son the same grumbling he had been going on the whole morning.

"And why is Dwalin no good."

"Becaaaause… Kíli's afraid of him!"

"No, I'm not!" The one spoken of interrupted and stopped next to his brother. Fíli gave a certain look to the younger one, whose frown quickly changed to the most innocent expression. "Yes, I am", he corrected his earlier statement.

"Well that's too bad, Dwalin is coming with you and so is Bifur, you want it or not. There is no way I would let you two go on such a long journey alone. Now, you will behave yourselves and do as you are told, am I clear?" She waited for both of her sons to nod, before she continued. "Good. Go eat breakfast with everyone. I'll meet you at the main door later."

Fíli and Kíli left the outer hall of their quarters, but not without objections, though Dís didn't really pay any attention at them. There was still one person she needed to have a talk with.

And there he was, still waiting for her in her personal sitting room. Nori was standing back facing the door and didn't notice that Dís had arrived. He had something in his hands that he examined carefully. Dís cleared her throat and the item in Nori's hands disappeared and Dís was most certain it did not go back on its rightful place.

"Lady Dís", Nori said and turned to face Dís bowing with the same movement.

Dís waved her hand to tell that it wasn't necessary to be so formal. "What was it you wanted to talk about, Nori?"

"I hear your sons are going to visit their uncle in the town of Lune." Dís nodded that it was correct. "And Dwalin and Bifur are going with them, are they not?"

"Please, go straight to the business", Dís said, she knew this 'curve and turn' tactic more than well. Fíli used it all the time.

"Let me go with them", Nori said boldly.

"Why?" Was the first thing out of Dís' mouth and it was spoken in a disbelieving tone.

"Have you talked with Bifur? He only speaks in Khuzdul with a hint of Iglishmêk. Tell me if I'm wrong, but I have a strong feeling that your sons don't understand much of each of them. And what comes to Dwalin, well, everyone knows he's not the best with children. Me on the other hand, I have a little brother of my own and he's about the same age as your sons, so I know how to handle kids."

Dís shook her head still a bit baffled. "No, not why you _should_ go with them, why you _want _to go?" She truly had no idea why anyone in his sanity would want to willingly go on a journey with her sons.

"Oh… I have some… businesses to take care of in Lune", Nori answered avoiding and then quickly continued, "and it's safer to travel in a group than alone."

"I see. Well, go ahead."

"What?" He asked confused. Clearly he had not waited affirmative answer to come that easily.

"I don't care what it is you have to do in Lune. Three pairs of eyes looking after those two troublemakers are better than two. Just don't get them involved in your businesses", Dís said firmly.

"I won't, I promise. And thank you. Dís", Nori said without the honorific, but did bow at the end. He was already leaving, when Dís stopped him.

"Nori. Your pockets", she said and held out her hand. Nori gave a quick smile and emptied his pockets. Dís was surprised how many things he had stuffed in them. There were a little music box, a pendant, a brooch, hair ornament and even some silverware. Nori gave the last longing glance at the items before he was gone.

Dís put the items back on their places and soon noticed that Nori hadn't given everything back. Sighing Dís decided she would never again let the dwarf in question to come in her quarters.

* * *

Fíli was showing a sour face. It was hard for him to accept that his mother didn't trust him enough to let the brothers go between the two of them. Convincing mum to let them go visit Thorin in the first place had taken a long while, there was no time to make her change her mind in this matter, if they wanted to see Thorin before he would continue to the next town from Lune.

But why did she make Dwalin of all the dwarves go with them? Not that Fíli didn't like him, the tattooed dwarf was the coolest person, after Thorin, he knew. Normally Dwalin was quite easygoing and laid-back, but when there were kids around he was awkward, snappy and tense. So not really the best fellow traveler for two young dwarves.

After Fíli and Kíli had eaten the breakfast, they went to the main door to wait for their mother and the 'babysitters' to show up. For a moment Fíli considered if they should just leave silently while they could, but he knew it would cause a terrible ruckus in the mountains. Mum would send every dwarf in Ered Luin after them and when she would get her hands on her two sons… only the thought gave the golden haired dwarf shivers.

"Are you wearing enough, sweetie?" Fíli turned around and saw their mother carrying two coats and their backpacks with her. She was looking Fíli worriedly like she was hesitating to let her sons go after all.

"I'm fine", Fíli assured and took his stuffs from Dís.

Soon Dwalin and Bifur came too, but they had someone third with them. Apparently two chaperons weren't enough, so Nori was accompanying them, or at least that's what their mother let them understood.

"Tell Thorin I said hi. And be careful. Don't wander off Kíli. Fíli look after your brother. Don't fight and try to stay out of trouble", Dís ranted, as everyone waited impatiently to get on their way.

"Yes mum", the boys answered in sync and Kíli added, "but we can't tell uncle anything if you don't let us go now. We'll promise to be good." Even though Kíli had solemn tone in his voice, Fíli could see his crossed fingers behind his back. After they would be out of their mother's eyes and hands, they would shake off the adults and have their first real adventure!

Finally Dís was ready to let her sons go and they started their two day journey to Lune. It wouldn't take so long, if they had had ponies, but Kíli wasn't yet very good with the big animals, so they had chosen to go on foot.

They had walked about three hours, when Fíli and Kíli had perfected their plan to get rid of the three babysitters and were ready to put it in action.

* * *

As much as Fíli hated to be watched over, it wasn't even close to Dwalin's feelings. He didn't like kids and here he was, keeping an eye on the worst rascals he had met. If they had been anyone else's sister-sons, but Thorin's, he would have been somewhere completely else right now.

He had heard a lot of stories about the little ones' shenanigans and even been there to witness some of them. He was just glad it hadn't been his pants where those fire ants had been put into. But it was a sure thing that he was not going to stay untouched on this journey.

"Do you think we'll meet goblins on our way?" The tattooed dwarf suddenly heard a voice from next to him. Kíli was looking anticipating at him.

The older one gave a glance at the small dwarf before answering: "Not likely."

"Oh, that's too bad. I would've killed them all with my bow before they had been in arm's reach! Thorin says I'm very skilled with bow, but I'm sure I could use axe just as well. If we do meet any goblins, you can borrow your axe and I will show you. How many of your scars are made by goblins?"

Dwalin frowned at Kíli's flow of words, but answered all the same. "Not many. They're mostly from fighting against orcs." Though he had had couple conversations earlier with the dark haired dwarfling, he felt himself very uncomfortable and hoped the little one would go bother someone else.

"Orcs… They're quite tall, aren't they? And you're pretty tall too, like uncle Thorin. How did you become so tall? Is there a secret behind it? I want to become a tall dwarf too, and strong! And then I'll fight with orcs and goblins and kill them all!" Kíli backed up his statement by demonstrating the goblin kill with a stick he picked from the ground.

And then he continued asking questions, that weren't even related to each other, without giving Dwalin time to answer. The tattooed dwarf could almost hear his veins popping in his head and the fact Nori was snickering behind his back, didn't help at all.

"What's with all the questions?" Dwalin snarled between his teeth. "Is it some kind of period or what?"

Kíli gave a thoughtful look. "I suppose so; mum says I'm a late sprout, whatever she means by that. Why are you bald? I've heard that if you pat your head too much the hair will disappear. Did you? Pat your head I mean."

Dwalin raised his eyes to the sky and prayed Aulë this torture would soon end.

* * *

Bifur wasn't sure what was going on. After the smaller of the two brothers had ran to Dwalin, Nori started to guffaw in his beard. He didn't find anything particularly fun, so he just gave odd looks to the whole scene.

Not long after the top of the tattooed dwarf's head had turned bright red and the thieving one was almost choking with the laughter, the older of the brothers quietly slowed his pace until he was far enough to take a flee into the forest. Bifur frowned to this, he remembered that Thorin's sister had told them to keep an eye on the lads and not let them disappear for even a second. It only meant he would have to follow the golden haired head.

Not saying anything Bifur left the company and went after the runaway. The young dwarf ran silently ahead of the others in the forest, taking care of not to be seen by the ones on the road. But even more silently Bifur followed him and saw how he climbed in the tree.

Whatever it was Fíli was going to do, Bifur only obeyed the instructions Dís had given. But as he let Fíli to know with a grunt he was there, the golden haired one was just reaching to another branch and thus didn't have a very good hold of the branch he was still onto. So when he heard the grunt he startled, gave a yelp, tried to turn around and lost his balance falling from the tree. Luckily Bifur was about on the right spot and caught Fíli before he hit the ground.

The young dwarf blinked couple of times trying to progress what had just happened, but Bifur didn't stay thinking, but headed right back to the others, Fíli still on his arms.

* * *

Nori was truly enjoying himself. It was always merriest to laugh at other's misfortune. But the laugh ended shortly, when Kíli suddenly stopped and turned around asking: "Where's Fíli?"

Nori and Dwalin both looked around themselves, but couldn't see the golden haired dwarf anywhere. Finally they looked at each other, both a rising panic in their eyes. How would they ever tell Thorin they lost his nephew, not to talk about Dís' reaction?

"I had my eyes on the little one, weren't you supposed to watch the other?" Dwalin asked blaming.

"Me? I wasn't even supposed to be part of this journey at first! He would have disappeared either way!"

"Don't even try to push all the responsibility to me! Didn't you say you knew how to handle kids?"

"What does it have to do with anything?"

"Everything obviously!"

Nori opened his mouth to give an objection, but he was interrupted by several grunts and children's voices. And soon Bifur came from the forest carrying Fíli on his shoulder and dangling Kíli from his jacket. Neither of the Durin's heirs seemed to like the situation they were in and the protestation was loud.

"When did you get there?" Dwalin asked surprised from Kíli. "Weren't you just next to me?"

"While you two were busy fighting. Could you tell him to let me go?"

Dwalin gave a nod and Bifur dropped the runaways on the ground. For a moment they pondered if they should tie the brothers up, but decided that Thorin wouldn't probably appreciate if they did that to his nephews. So they came to the conclusion it was best that Fíli walked beside Dwalin, Kíli with Nori and Bifur would come as the last, since clearly he had the sharpest eyes for these two. They were careful not to let the two troublemakers scheme anything this time.

Soon Nori just came to regret to agree to walk with the dark haired dwarfling.

"You have a brother, right? What's his name? Isn't he Ori? How old is he?"

"About your age, but I swear he's not as nosy as you", Nori put in between.

"Yeah, but how old exactly? Do you even know? I think not. Dori always complains you don't spent any time with Ori. Why don't you? Why did you come with us? What is it you do for living?" And this went on and on, until they made their first stop to rest.

"I'm never going to travel with that windbag ever again after this", Nori stated as he sat down next to Dwalin, while Bifur was making some food with the lads. The bald one gave a justified laugh, but Nori ignored it and pointed at the cooking group. "How is it that he's so good with them?"

Dwalin shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe it's because of that axe, did something to his brains, y'know."

After they had eaten, they continued the journey and everything went smoothly, until the night. During the night Dwalin's hair had gotten plaited and decorated with flowers, the breakfast tasted like feet (at least Dwalin and Nori's), their boots were full of needles and then there was all other little things that didn't make you exactly angry, but annoyed the hell out of you. For some reason most of these things seemed to be done to Dwalin, but Nori definitely did get his part too. Only, either Bifur didn't mind the pranks or he had none done to him. More and more it started to seem it was the latter option.

* * *

Kíli and Fíli's plan to drive their chaperons crazy was working nicely. Well, as long as you only included Dwalin and Nori. It's not that they didn't try to prank Bifur; somehow it just was like he always knew what they were up to. Just when they were going to do something, he would give this creepy glare and all their plans would fail. And sooner they noticed, they stopped trying to prank him. That though didn't mean that they weren't trying to flee anymore.

The sun was about on its midway when suddenly happened something besides the shenanigans. Dwalin seemed to be ready to strangle someone and Nori's mood wasn't much higher, when a bunch of men circled their little group. First there had only been five dwarves peacefully walking on the road and then suddenly eight men came out of the surrounding bushes. And it didn't take a genius to tell that these men were everything else, but friendly. Though Kíli still didn't seem to be able to tell it.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here, eh?" Asked the man who seemed to be the leader, he had a tad better looking clothes than the others and he was the only one on the horse.

"We're dwarves from Ered Luin", Kíli answered with loud voice and asked, "who are you?" before his brother slapped his hand on the smaller one's mouth. Kíli didn't quite understand why he did so, their mum had told them to be good and Kíli did remember some manners. Slapping a hand on other's mouth did definitely not belong to them.

The leader laughed amused. "We're the men who are demanding their payment."

"You have wrong targets. We are in debt to no one", Dwalin growled and took a tighter grip from his axe.

"Is that so master dwarf? Too bad for you that there is one amongst your company, that is in great debt to me. Or how would you put it in words, my slippery friend?" The man looked straight at Nori, who was trying to avoid all eye contact.

Dwalin gave a scowl at the dwarf next to him. "Is he telling the truth?" He whispered, but Kíli could hear anger and worry in his voice. Nori nodded slightly, which made the worry increase in the tattooed one's voice. "How much?"

"More than all of us could afford together. And they're not the type of people who will forgive or forget. Our only chance is to fight", Nori whispered even quieter than Dwalin had.

"Well dwarves, what is your answer?" The man asked now impatiently.

"We don't have money", Kíli answered, for Fíli had already taken his hand off of his brother's mouth. This time he slapped Kíli on the head and the smaller one was still not sure what he did wrong.

"I see. That's too bad. Men! You know what to do!" And with that everyone took upon arms, not only the claimants, but the dwarves too. Even Kíli, who had finally realized, that these men were bad. He had never thought that he would have to fight against humans, for the goblins had always filled his head.

The fight wasn't easy. Humans of course tried to kill the dwarves with all their power, but the latter ones didn't mean to kill.

Thorin's training was paying off; Fíli used skillfully his sword and throwing axe, giving the opponents no chances to strike on him. But Kíli wasn't doing so well. He was still only ten-years-old, while Fíli was already fifteen and a real situation where you had to aim and shoot wasn't as easy as Kíli had thought. In fact, he had no time to aim, so his shots whizzed past the opponents giving them a scrape, if the small dwarf was lucky. Only reason Kíli himself survived without bigger cuts was for his small size and quick feet.

Though there were more humans, which obviously made it all more difficult to the smaller group, the dwarves were actually winning and the men's leader noticed it. He had stayed out of the fight, but now he rode in the middle of it giving orders to his men at the same time. Just as suddenly as they had appeared, the claimants were gone.

The dwarves evened their breaths and started to examine how bad their injuries were and if they needed any treatment. Before Fíli would check his own wounds, he wanted to see that his brother was unharmed. In the fight's tumult he had lost the sight of the smaller one and now he was glancing around him, looking for the familiar dark nest of hair. Finally Fíli had to gulp hard and he turned to the others his face ash pale.

"He's gone. They took him."


	10. Journey to Human Town - The Rescue

**Journey to Human Town – The Rescue**

"Let go of me, you ugly troll butt face!" The little dwarf swirled in Bill's grip and almost hit him in the face.

"Can't we just throw this one from the cliff? He's undersized and has a too chatty mouth. No one will even miss him", Bill whined, not particularly to anyone, but their leader, Tom, heard him.

"We need him alive, just like you know. Those dwarves will definitely come to get him and then we'll have that cheating dwarf's head."

"I wouldn't be so sure", Bill muttered, but this time quiet enough for no one to hear him.

The company of eight men and one dwarf walked deeper in the forest, till they came to their camp right next to a cliff to which Bill gave a longing look.

Éomund was waiting for them. The blond man had grim look on his face, until he saw his horse. He hopped from his seat and strode to take the reins from their leader. Though Éomund had left his home long time ago, he had once been a _rohirrim_ and his love for horses still showed.

Everyone lowered their carryings and stretched themselves giving small winches because of the wounds the dwarves had given them.

When the first chance came, Bill too threw his burden on the ground. And came to regret it immediately. The dwarf kicked him on the shank and tried to run away. For a second the camp was in chaos while the adult men tried to catch a little dwarfling. Finally it was their leader who snagged the lad from his collar.

"Put me down! Fight like a man! I'll show you! Uncle taught me how to use a sword!" The dwarf yelled with high-pitched voice.

"You really do have a big mouth", Tom noted while dangling the smaller one. "Your uncle though hasn't done very good job. It was more than easy to capture you. I wonder if he's that good himself either."

"Shut up! Uncle Thorin is the best fighter I know! He would take you down in a second!"

When Tom heard the name of the boy's uncle his face turned through a surprise to thoughtful. "Thorin you say. Not the great Thorin Oakenshield?" He asked with sly tone in his voice.

"Yes! And he will-" But the leader of the men interrupted him.

"Did you hear that men? We have the nephew of Thorin Oakenshield here with us." Tom said triumphantly and his men started to cheer, for they knew what this meant. "We have no need for that indebted sly bastard anymore, we can get ten times more gold from the shrimp's uncle", Tom added, but mostly to himself.

Kíli understood he had made a big mistake giving that much information to these men. He gulped and hoped that Fíli would soon come to rescue him.

* * *

"Are you sure they took him? This is not one of your tricks again?" Dwalin asked doubting from Fíli, who was twirling around, hoping that his brother would suddenly appear from somewhere.

"Of course I'm sure! Do I look like I'm joking?" Fíli yelled his voice climbing higher with every word.

Bifur gave some incomprehensible grunts and hand signs which Nori nodded to. "You're right; they're waiting for us, so we can't just charge in. We need a plan and a good one. This is their territory, they are now aware of our power and there might be even more of them."

"Then make a plan and fast! Who knows what they'll do to Kíli! They might even…" Fíli swallowed hard, he couldn't continue his sentence.

"Don't worry lad, they need him alive. Though if they will be able to shut his mouth with some miracle, now that would be a blessing." Fíli gave a dark scowl at Nori, but didn't say anything.

They made a quick plan, which was in fact quite simple, for the surprise was their only advantage. The biggest trouble for now was to first find the men's camp. Soon they though noticed that that wasn't very hard task to do after all, since the men had fled in a hurry and left behind a clear track. They wanted to be followed.

After two miles of brisk walk they found the camp and took their positions. Quick study told them that there was only one man more than before. When Fíli saw Kíli sitting next to one of the men, ankles and wrists tied up, all alone, he almost rushed to him. Bifur saw Fíli's intention and stopped him by putting a hand on the smaller one's shoulder and shaking his head. Fíli clenched his fists and barely contained himself.

The dwarves in hiding watched as Nori walked in the men's sight and raised his hands in a sign of surrender. The claimants weren't though so trusting, they took their weapons and pointed them at the just arrived dwarf.

"Is that really necessary? I came here just to talk", Nori said and was about to lower his hands, but the gesture the bowman made, put him think that again.

"Nori, where did you leave your friends? There?" The leader pointed almost exactly the place where Fíli and Bifur were. "There? Or maybe there? You can't win against us, not in here and you of all people should know it."

"Well, it's always worth to try, ain't it Tom? Besides, we would really like that little one back with us, at least some of us would."

"I bet you would, but we have no intention giving him away. And we have no need for you anymore." Tom gave a sign to the archer who drew the arrow and released it. That started the chain of events.

While everyone's concentration was on Nori, Dwalin had sneaked behind the man keeping an eye on Kíli and knocked him out a moment before the arrow left the bow. The man didn't lose consciousness quietly, but let out a yelp of surprise and pain, waking up others' attention.

That yelp was probably the only thing that saved Nori. The archer's focus went off and the arrow didn't fly directly at its target, close enough to hit him, but far enough not to be lethal.

When Fíli saw Dwalin shoving Kíli on his shoulder and starting to fight with the men, he ran out of the hiding place, Bifur following him. The young dwarf tried to fight his way to Dwalin's side, but it wasn't as easy as he had thought. Suddenly it felt like the humans were a lot taller and stronger than before. Fíli realized it was probably because he was now fighting alone, when earlier he had fought alongside with his companions.

Every once in a while Fíli saw a glimpse of other dwarves. Bifur swinging his axe and Nori with his short sword, dangling his left arm. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't see Dwalin and Kíli anymore. Not until he was all of a sudden raised higher and everyone stopped moving.

"Don't move or this one will lose his head!" Yelled the man who had just woken after Dwalin's hit and noticed the golden haired dwarf right next to him. Fíli was now in his tight grip and a sharp blade on his neck.

There was a moment of bafflement, before the leader stepped forward, a triumphant smirk on his face. This change of events had come on a perfect spot from his point of view, out of nine men there was only three standing beside him. "Well done, Bill, finally you are being useful. You heard what he said dwarves! Don't move an inch or else. Now we can make a deal, this dwarf for that one", Tom said pointing at Kíli. "And I'm going to be so generous that you will be forgiven all your debts Nori."

Dwalin put carefully Kíli on the ground. The little one was still tied up and now he looked worriedly at his brother. Fíli tried to give a calming look at the younger one, but it was hard when your life was threatened.

"What do you want him for?" Dwalin demanded tightening his grip on his war hammer. That was something Fíli would like to know too. What did they want from his little brother?

"That is none of your business, dwarf. And if I were you, I would drop that hammer. Concerns you two also." The dwarves did as they were told, though not happily, especially Bifur, who was giving a whole lot of swearing words in Khuzdul (the only words Fíli and Kíli knew what they meant, much for their mother's nuisance).

"Why do you think we would change one to another? Why would we give away any of our own?" Asked Nori in turn.

"Don't act like you don't seriously know! We know who he is, we know who's nephew he is!" Tom yelled a bit annoyed. Of course, Kíli had once again slipped some important information. At least they didn't know that Fíli too was Thorin's nephew, though right now that information might save his life.

And right then there was a shout: "Let go of my brother!" It was Kíli's voice, he must had sneaked nearer Bill while the talking. And then he sank his teeth on the man's shank, which made him drop Fíli.

The next things happened like in slow-motion to Fíli. Bill gave out a cry and kicked his leg trying to shake off the little dwarf. Kíli couldn't use his hands, so his hold didn't last for long. Fíli watched in horror as Kíli flew three feet in the air and right over the edge of the cliff.

"No… KÍLI!"

The others were quick to pick up their weapons and continue the fight. But Fíli couldn't see it, he was petrified. His brother had fallen over the edge. Kíli was…

"Help!"

Fíli woke from his slumber-like condition and ran to the edge full of hope. If the situation hadn't been what it was, Fíli would have laughed to the sight he saw. Kíli was hanging upside down from a rhizome that had grown out from the dirt wall. He was stuck from the rope around his ankles. Fíli thanked Mahal in his mind for his brother's fool's luck, before he yelled Dwalin to come help him.

Dwalin came to see the situation on the cliff, while Nori and Bifur stayed to look after the only man, who was still in his consciousness, for they still had one point to be made to him.

On the cliff Kíli was too low for Dwalin to be able to reach him and there was no foothold to Dwalin to go down to get Kíli. The hanging dwarf himself couldn't really do anything else but just hang around.

They decided that the best way to save the smallest one, was to lower Fíli to his level with a rope, so they put their plan straight into action. Dwalin double-checked that the knot around Fíli's waist held and told him to be careful, before he started lowering him with Nori.

Fíli was soon facing his pale brother.

"Fíli? I feel dizzy", Kíli said with a weak voice as he noticed the older one in front of him.

"I'm here", Fíli said with a calm voice, "come on, put your hands around my neck."

With some help Kíli was able to do as he was told and Fíli took a good grip of him. Slowly the adults pulled the smaller ones up and Kíli was once again on the ground. It did take some while for his head to clear, but all the same, he was safe now.

It was time to show to the last man standing, what dwarves were made of.

"If you ever touch these lads again, I will personally make sure it will be the last thing you do", Dwalin growled intimidating, "and you'd better not interrupt our journey again. Am I clear?" Tom kept his eyes down and didn't say anything, until Dwalin grabbed a hold of his collar and asked again, their noses an inch away from each other.

"Yes", the man croaked finally. They left him tied on a tree alone with his senseless men, waiting someone to wake up and let him go.

* * *

The dwarf company hadn't walked for long, when Kíli skittered by Dwalin's side. For a while he just walked quietly giving glances at the bigger one. Finally Dwalin got tired of it.

"What do you want now? Haven't we got enough adventure for one journey?"

"No, I mean yes, I just… I wanted to say thank you mister Dwalin. That's all." With that Kíli returned fast to Fíli, not caring of the confused look on the tattooed dwarf's face.

The brothers walked in silence, but Kíli could see that there was something on Fíli's mind. He wasn't quite sure if he really wanted to hear what his older brother had to say to him, because most probably he was going to get scolded.

"Kíli", the one spoken to flinched from his brother's tone, "don't you dare to do that again." Kíli turned his eyes to Fíli, who returned the look, but with so much worry in it. "You are too reckless, you don't think the consequences of your action! It was pure luck that you are still alive! I… I don't know what I would do if something happened to you."

They had stopped walking when Fíli started his grumbling, which in the end had turned into anxiety. Kíli didn't know what he should say, for his feelings were the same and he would not change what he did even if given a chance. But maybe this time it was his turn to ease his brother's mind.

"I'm sorry Fíli. I promise I'll be more careful." Fíli didn't look very convinced, but he did give an accepting nod and thus they continued walking. After a short considering, Kíli did something he hadn't done in ages: he took a grab of Fíli's hand. Fíli gave a questioning look to the younger one, but didn't protest, quite the opposite, he gave a little squeeze to him.

The rest of the journey to the human town went peacefully, with no shenanigans or disruption. Dwalin had gained the brothers', especially Kíli's, respect, but not that or even their uncle could keep them out of the trouble in Lune.


End file.
